The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday thanked French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné for reiterating French opposition to any unilateral change in the cross-strait “status quo,” in response to Beijing’s changing of flight routes near Taiwan.
Séjourné made the comment to the French Senate on Wednesday in response to China allowing flights to operate on its self-drawn M503 flight route in the Taiwan Strait.
France opposes the use of force or coercion to change the cross-strait “status quo,” he said.
Photo: AP
France attaches great importance to freedom of navigation and overflight in the Taiwan Strait, he said, adding that it also supports Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
The ministry in a statement thanked Séjourné for his comments, noting that he is the first European foreign minister to speak out against the flight route change.
France has always been concerned about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and Taiwan Strait, it said.
In addition to reiterating the importance of cross-strait peace and stability in high-level talks with the US, Australia, Japan and other partners, France has also sent warships through the Taiwan Strait multiple times in recent years, it said.
Taiwan was also mentioned for the first time in the seven-year military programming law promulgated by French President Emmanuel Macron in August last year, making France the first major country to write the importance of freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait into law, it added.
Taiwan and France share the universal values of democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan would continue to work with France to defend its democracy and deepen cooperation.
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