The Foreign Ministry has welcomed a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the G7 nations backing Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization. The ministry’s response comes a day after Wednesday’s communiqué marking the end of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in London.
In the statement, officials from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the EU, the UK, and the US say “inclusive processes in international organizations” are “vital”. They say they “support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in World Health Organisation forums and the World Health Assembly”. That’s because they believe “[t]he international community should be able to benefit from the experience of all partners”. The statement singles out “Taiwan’s successful contribution to the tackling of the COVID-19 pandemic” for special praise.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has responded positively to the communiqué. It says Taiwan shares common values of freedom, democracy, and human rights with G7 member nations. The ministry says it will continue to strengthen cooperation with the G7 nations to promote global health and well-being, as well as regional peace and stability.
The G7 foreign ministers’ statement also voices concern at the militarization of East and South China Seas. It says the nations “underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues”. They also express “strong opposition” to “unilateral actions that could escalate tensions and undermine regional stability”.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou says the statement shows that China’s harassment of Taiwan is causing concern in the international community.