US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew on Wednesday affirmed the importance for Drew’s country to maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, US officials said.
Rubio and Drew made the remarks in a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Caribbean Community summit in Saint Kitts and Nevis, US Department of State deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
They also discussed bolstering regional security cooperation to counter transnational crime and illegal immigration, he said.
Photo: Reuters
Rubio emphasized that Saint Kitts and Nevis is a valued partner and discussed the Caribbean country’s “strong and enduring partnership with Taiwan,” Piggot said.
The Caribbean Community is a bloc comprising of 21 states that convene to coordinate the region’s diplomatic and economic policy with third parties.
Saint Kitts and Nevis’ parliament recently passed a bill backed by Drew to support Taiwan’s efforts to participate in international organizations in recognition of its contribution to public health, renewable energy and combating transnational crime.
Photo: EPA
The Caribbean country, which consists of the twin islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, established formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan more than 40 years ago.
Last year, Saint Kitts and Nevis issued a statement expressing concern for the rise in tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
It said that societies are entitled to develop free from the threats of aggression, intimidation or coercion, regardless of their size or geopolitical influence.
Saint Kitts and Nevis said that constructive diplomatic strategy should be used to ensure lasting peace and security across the Taiwan Strait.
In other news, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand and Canadian Minister of National Defense David McGuinty on Wednesday met with their South Korean counterparts, Cho Hyun and Kim Seon-ho, in a “2+2” ministers’ conference.
The ministers issued a statement reiterating the bilateral commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposing unilateral changes to the “status quo,” and upholding the freedom of flight and navigation in the South China Sea, Global Affairs Canada said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday said that Taiwan welcomes and affirms the Canadian and South Korean ministers’ commitment to peace.
The statement from the conference showed the high level of consensus between Canada and South Korea on matters concerning cross-strait peace and stability, and Ottawa’s consistent stance on the region’s issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited him as saying.
Taipei would continue to work with like-minded countries to safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity of the Taiwan Strait and the wider region, he said.
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