US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in a joint statement issued after they met in Washington for their first official meeting.
Trump and Ishiba “affirmed their determination to pursue a new golden age for US-Japan relations that upholds a free and open Indo-Pacific and brings peace and prosperity to a violent and disorderly world,” the US-Japan Joint Leaders’ Statement said.
“The two leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community,” it said. “They encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion.”
Photo: AFP
Trump and Ishiba also expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, it added.
At the meeting, Trump and Ishiba “expressed their determination to continuously cooperate to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific” region, it said.
They “intend to advance multilayered and aligned cooperation among like-minded countries,” including through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue grouping of the US, Japan, Australia and India, as well as cooperation among Japan, the US and South Korea; Japan, the US and Australia; and Japan, the US and the Philippines, the statement said.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA
Trump and Ishiba reiterated their strong opposition to any attempts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to change the “status quo” in the East China Sea by force or coercion.
“The two leaders reaffirmed their strong opposition to the PRC’s unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea,” it added.
In Taipei, President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday wrote on X that Taiwan deeply appreciates Trump’s and Ishiba’s “strong support for peace across the Taiwan Strait & Taiwan’s international participation.”
“We will remain steadfast in cooperating with the #US, #Japan & other global partners to advance regional peace & prosperity,” he wrote.
Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said that the international community agrees that maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region is important, and that Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community that is capable and willing to cooperate.
Taiwan would continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities, deepen partnerships with the US and Japan, and cooperate with like-minded countries to protect the rules-based international order, ensure that the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region are free and open, and maintain global peace and prosperity, she said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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