September 28, 2024
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with China Director of the Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27. A press release later issued by the US Department of State pointed out that Secretary Blinken had emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait during the meeting. It further stated that he had also raised concerns about China’s dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea as well as its support for Russia’s defense industrial base.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomes staunch US support for cross-strait peace and stability and appreciates high-level US officials reaffirming this position during interactions with Chinese counterparts. It also strongly condemns China for continuing to take actions that jeopardize the peaceful status quo at a time when the international community shares collective concerns regarding, and is striving to maintain, regional security and stability.
MOFA further notes that in the press release China issued following the meeting, it again made spurious claims about Taiwan and Taiwan’s relations with the United States that do not accord with reality. MOFA reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other. MOFA also stresses that it is China’s relentless intimidation of Taiwan and willful military expansion in the region that pose the greatest risk to regional peace and stability. Furthermore, by accommodating Russia, China has become a key supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the transatlantic region. Its provocative staging of joint military exercises with Russia in the Indo-Pacific also shows that its ambitions have become a major global threat.
As President Lai Ching-te pointed out to the international community while addressing a summit held by a nonprofit organization during the UNGA, “a stronger Taiwan is better able to promote democracy, peace, and prosperity around the world.” He also expressed the sincere hope for “Taiwan and other democratic nations to jointly support the democratic umbrella and counter authoritarian aggression.” As a responsible member of the global community, Taiwan will steadfastly enhance its defense capabilities and work together with the United States and other like-minded partners to safeguard the rules-based international order and preserve peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Indo-Pacific.