Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry thanked the governments of the United Kingdom and Japan for emphasizing peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait on Thursday via a press release. The press release was in response to a U.K.-Japan joint statement released on Tuesday, at the end of bilateral “2+2” defense meetings in Tokyo.
The joint statement included language reaffirming the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. It says that the official positions of the two countries toward Taiwan have not changed. It also reiterates the two countries’ support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.
The press release from Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said the comments in the joint statement were welcome. It adds that the statement also included language opposing any unilateral changes to the status quo and calls on China to abide by international legal conventions in the South and East China Seas. It further says that as a member of the camp of democratic countries, Taiwan will continue to cooperate with democratic partners such as Japan, the European Union, and the United States.