The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the leaders of the UK and New Zealand for reaffirming in a joint statement earlier this week the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed their support for Taiwan at a meeting at Downing Street in London on Tuesday.
Speaking about escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, the two “agreed on the importance of working together to support regional stability and counter malign threats,” the British government said in a statement.
Photo: AFP
The prime ministers in a joint statement on Wednesday said that “maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to international security and prosperity.”
They also stated their concerns about China’s military exercises around Taiwan and “called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.”
Starmer and Luxon reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, which underpins their bilateral partnership, the statement said.
They further “recognized the indivisibility of the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions,” acknowledging the ongoing cooperation between the UK and New Zealand defense forces on global challenges, including in the Indo-Pacific region.
The ministry said that the UK and New Zealand are democratic partners of Taiwan who share similar values, and are a powerful force in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Their joint statement reinforced the connection between Taiwan’s situation and global peace, it said.
Taiwan will continue to strengthen ties with similar-minded nations to uphold the shared values of democracy and freedom, and the international, rules-based order, it added.
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