Leaders of the G7 in an online meeting on Wednesday underlined the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
G7 leaders, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met online to address global challenges, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Hamas’ attack on Israel, as well as issues such as economic resilience, food security and health.
“We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity in the international community,” the body said in a statement.
Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service handout via Reuters
The leaders called for “a peaceful resolution” to cross-strait issues, adding that “there is no change in the basic positions of the G7 members on Taiwan, including stated one China policies.”
Regarding the Indo-Pacific region, they voiced serious concerns about the situation in the East and South China seas, underlining that they “strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.”
They also reiterated the commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is “inclusive, prosperous, secure and based on the rule of law, and that protects shared principles.”
While being open to building “constructive and stable relations with China,” G7 countries urged Beijing to play by international rules, adding that they are to work toward derisking and diversifying to build resilient economies.
The leaders also called on Beijing to honor its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations to refrain from engaging in “interference activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities, the integrity of our democratic institutions and our economic prosperity,” the statement said.
China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have “no legal basis,” they said, adding that they are opposed to its “militarization activities” in the region.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement yesterday thanked the G7 countries for their continued concern about the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
Major countries have repeatedly stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, including at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May and the summit between the leaders of Japan, South Korea and the US at Camp David in Maryland in August, the ministry said, adding that the issue has become a consensus in international society.
In other news, Taiwan is to donate US$2 million to the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission over five years starting next year to assist in the development of small island nations, the ministry said.
Taiwan made the announcement at the commission’s annual meeting, which began in the Cook Islands on Monday and concludes today, Department of International Organizations Deputy Director-General Lee Kuan-te (李冠德) told a regular news briefing.
The donation is to follow a five-year project from 2017, in which Taiwan donated US$2 million to the commission to establish a trust fund to assist members of the Small Island Developing States, including Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Pacific, to build fishery capabilities, Lee said.
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