The Foreign Ministry says China’s recent military actions in Taiwan waters seriously damage regional peace and stability. The ministry spoke on Tuesday about the military exercises, which are the first ones conducted by the Chinese military this year. The drills have been increasingly routine since last August when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.
The ministry says maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait is the shared responsibility of both Taiwan and China. It adds that the international community expects stability in the region, which is in all parties’ best interest.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou (歐江安) says Taiwan has always been clear that it will not escalate conflicts, but will firmly defend national sovereignty and security. She says Taiwan will not back down from protecting freedom and democracy.
Ou says the military has a firm grasp of the situation surrounding the Taiwan Strait. She adds that Taiwan will continue to strengthen international cooperation so democratic countries can unite to resist authoritarianism.