- Taiwan urges international community to jointly safeguard cross-strait peace and stability
By Caribbean News Global
TAIPEI, Taiwan – China recently deployed large numbers of PLA Navy and China Coast Guard vessels around the first island chain for days-long military exercises. It has also repeatedly dispatched military aircraft and vessels to harass Taiwan, unilaterally disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, unnecessarily escalating regional tensions, and interfering with regular international shipping and trade.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) demands that the Beijing authorities immediately cease their military intimidation and all other unreasonable behaviour that is jeopardizing regional peace and stability,” in a December 7, 2024, press release advised. “ An international consensus has been reached on the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region. Although cross-strait and regional developments are closely followed by the international community, China continues to ramp up rhetorical and military intimidation against Taiwan. China’s large-scale military buildup around the first island chain has created uncertainty and risk, giving countries in the region cause for concern. This underscores the fact that China is a destabilizing force that is undermining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
China’s provocative actions toward Taiwan and other countries in the region are a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, which stipulates that all countries must refrain from the threat or use of force to infringe on the territorial sovereignty of another country.
Taiwan has a responsibility for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and demands that China immediately stop violating international law and demonstrate that it can be a responsible major power.
MOFA has advised of the following:
- Taiwan will do its utmost to fulfill its international responsibilities, calmly respond to China’s military threats, staunchly safeguard its sovereignty and national security, and firmly defend democracy and freedom.
- MOFA urges democratic partners worldwide to unite with Taiwan to jointly counter authoritarian expansionism and encroachment, prevent repeated attempts to unilaterally and deliberately disrupt the status quo, uphold the rules-based international order, and together preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific.
Meanwhile, in a joint statement on Australia–New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN), reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposed unilateral changes to the status quo, and expressed concern over the situation in the South China Sea.
MOFA welcomed and appreciate the joint statement, noting:
“Australia and New Zealand are important friends of Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific region, and bilateral relations with both countries have made significant strides in recent years. Given that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea has become a global consensus. MOFA invites the international community to continue expressing its concerns and take practical action to uphold the rules-based international order,” adding, “The Taiwan government will continue to promote values-based diplomacy and work with like-minded countries to advance democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”