The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday urged Beijing not to use military provocations or other methods to threaten or suppress Taiwan and undermine the “status quo,” as it expressed gratitude to friendly countries and diplomatic allies for showing concern in the past week.
“MOFA again urges China to recognize the Republic of China’s (Taiwan) existence,” the ministry said in a news release.
It also urged Beijing to respect the democratic and free way of life Taiwanese chose.
Photo: Yang Cheng-yu, Taipei Times
The ministry said it is willing to work with China in maintaining regional security, and pursuing peace and common prosperity.
“Do not attempt to use military provocations or other methods to threaten or suppress Taiwan and undermine the regional status quo,” the ministry said, adding that only through dialogue can the two sides develop a friendly relationship which meets the international society’s expectations.
“Maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is in the common interest of both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the international society,” the ministry said.
There is a consensus among the international society on maintaining peace and stability in the Strait and the wider Indo-Pacific region, it added.
“MOFA sincerely thanks our allies, the US, the UK, France, Germany, New Zealand, Lithuania, South Korea and more than 30 countries’ governments or parliament members, as well as the EU, for publicly expressing their concerns about China once again conducting military drills to intimidate our nation,” the ministry said.
Some also stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and called on China to act with restraint and resolve disagreements through dialogue, it said.
China’s People’s Liberation Army deployed fighter jets and warships to encircle Taiwan and held military exercises around the nation on Monday last week.
The ministry also urged all countries to continue showing support for Taiwan and concern about the situation in the Strait, as Taiwan will continue to work with allies and like-minded countries to protect the rules-based international order, the ministry said.
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS