European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol underlined the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in a joint statement on Monday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday welcomed the statement, which was issued after the three leaders met in Seoul for the 10th EU-Republic of Korea Summit.
“We stress the importance of preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and oppose unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific,” the statement said.
Photo: AP
They also reaffirmed their support “for freedom of overflight and of navigation, including in the South China Sea, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
South Korea has since May 2021 openly highlighted the importance of cross-strait peace and stability, the ministry said.
Tensions over Taiwan “occurred because of the attempts to change the status quo by force, and we together with the international community absolutely oppose such a change,” Yoon told Reuters last month.
While Yoon was in Washington last month, he and US President Joe Biden in a joint statement “reiterated the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the region.”
Von der Leyen last month said that Europe has a very clear interest in preserving cross-strait stability, adding that “the threat of, or the use of, force to change the status quo is unacceptable.”
Taiwan is happy to work closely with like-minded nations to safeguard the rules-based international order against coercion from authoritarian regimes, the ministry said.
In other diplomatic news, visiting Saint Lucian Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire yesterday at a meeting with Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said that his country would seize every opportunity to support Taiwan’s full participation in all international organizations.
Saint Lucia knows that Taiwan should be included in all international organizations, as its participation would only make those organizations richer, he said.
As a family, Saint Lucia and Taiwan love each other and would take care of each other, Hilaire said.
“Taiwan and Saint Lucia are both island countries, and even the shapes of the islands are very similar. I believe it is not a coincidence, but a destiny for us to be partners,” he added.
Hilaire said he hoped that the delegation he led to Taiwan could explore ways to deepen cooperation in cultural industries.
Lai thanked the Caribbean ally for voicing support for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly and called on the democratic world not to fall into the trap of the “one China” principle.
Taiwan is a guardian of peace, which is priceless and in the interest of the whole world, the vice president said.
As an island nation, Saint Lucia boasts beautiful scenery, Lai said, adding that he hopes to see more cooperation between the two sides in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, especially in tourism.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old