Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday thanked Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi for emphasizing the importance of safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during Koizumi’s meeting with Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董軍).
Koizumi made the remarks when he met with Dong at the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), ASEAN’s defense platform, during his visit to Malaysia.
In the meeting, Koizumi said that among the various aspects of Japan-China relations, the security field remains the most challenging area.
Photo: AFP
He expressed Japan’s serious concern over Beijing’s increasing military activities in the East China Sea and the Pacific region.
He also reiterated concern about China’s military activities around Japan, including those conducted jointly with Russia, and the situation in the South China Sea, as he emphasized the significance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a news release said that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is of shared interest to the international community, and indispensable to the world’s prosperity and security.
Photo grab from x.com/takaichi_sanae
As authoritarianism expands, constantly challenging the rules-based world order and intensifying tensions, Taiwan continues to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and whole-of-society resilience, the ministry said.
Taipei would continue to work with democratic allies to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, it added.
Meanwhile, the ministry yesterday also responded to China’s protests to Tokyo about a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i (林信義), Taiwan’s envoy to this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
Takaichi wrote on social media that she had met with Lin on Friday and Saturday.
Tokyo is looking forward to deepening cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, she said.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Saturday criticized Takaichi for meeting with Lin on the sidelines of the APEC summit and posting on social media about the discussions.
“Those actions are egregious in nature and impact,” it said. “China expresses its firm opposition and has made serious demarches and protests to Japan.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it was natural for Taiwan, as a formal member of APEC, to engage in exchanges with other member states.
Lin engaged in exchanges with the leaders or representatives of more than 10 economies, including Takaichi and US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, during the summit, the ministry said.
The ministry reiterated that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent country and it is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The PRC has never governed Taiwan, which is a fact and the “status quo” acknowledged by the international community, it said, adding that Beijing has no right to comment on and interfere in the sovereign actions of other nations.
China’s criticism about the interactions between Taiwan and Japan based on the so-called “one China principle” has violated the core principle of equal participation for all APEC members, it said.
Taiwan and Japan, as important partners and friends, share universal values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and rule of law, the ministry said.
Taiwan is to continue to deepen cooperation with Japan on the solid foundation of their bilateral relations to jointly safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
PATROL PARTNERS: The ‘Chiayi’ and the ‘Penghu’ departed for a two-day joint patrol of Palau’s exclusive economic zone, the CGA’s second diplomatic visit to the country The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) set a record for its southernmost deployment of a coast guard vessel as the vessels Chiayi and the Penghu reached Palau’s Pulo Anna Island on Saturday in a cooperative exercise between the two countries. The island, about 217 nautical miles (401km) southwest of Koror in the Palauan state of Sonsorol and 1,220 nautical miles from Taiwan’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), is the furthest south a CGA vessel has sailed. The two vessels are in Palau for the coast guard’s second diplomatic visit to the country. They docked at Malakal Harbor on Tuesday last week. The coast guard
BATCH 1: The military has plans to assign the weapons to the army to defend Taiwan proper, as well as outlying islands and the navy for the Marine Corps, the official said Taiwan is to receive 500 Stinger missiles and 178 launchers from the US by the end of the year, the first batch under a planned two-stage acquisition totaling 2,621 missiles and 763 launchers, a defense official said yesterday on condition of anonymity. The portable missiles would play a vital role in the nation’s air defense capabilities, the source said. The army plans to deploy 2,235 missiles and 657 launchers to defend Taiwan proper and outlying islands, they said, citing military documents. The navy is allotted 295 missiles and 85 launchers to arm the Marine Corps and some surface vessels that lack air defense
The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a recommendation on EU-China political relations that rejected China’s efforts to restrict Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and exchanges. The recommendation, addressed to the European Council, the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, includes several references to EU-Taiwan relations and expresses support for closer ties, saying they would bring positive benefits and have strategic importance. Describing Taiwan as a valuable partner in trade and technology, the European Parliament said it “rejects China’s attempts to coerce international organizations, third countries and other actors into restricting Taiwan’s international participation and
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday arrived in San Francisco, receiving a warm welcome from hundreds of overseas Taiwanese as she launched a week-long visit. Accompanied by Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大?), and head of Taiwan’s San Francisco office Wu Chih-hsiang (伍志翔), Tsai arrived at her hotel, waving, smiling and giving high-fives to Taiwanese compatriots amid cheers of “Taiwan’s democracy involves you and me” to welcome her to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is Tsai’s first visit to the US since she left office in May 2024 after serving two four-year terms as president. Tsai is today to deliver
RSS