MOFA welcomes EU-US joint press release reaffirming importance of cross-strait peace and stability

European External Action Service Secretary General Stefano Sannino and United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on September 11 issued a joint press release after holding the seventh high-level meeting of the EU-US Dialogue on China and the sixth meeting of the EU-US High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific on September 9 and 10. The two sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and stated that this was indispensable to international peace and stability. They also called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues through dialogue, expressed opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion, urged China to exercise restraint in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan, and conveyed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.

As for security in the Indo-Pacific, both sides expressed serious concern about tensions in the East China Sea and the South China Sea and reiterated their strong opposition to recent actions by China that endanger the safety of life at sea and infringe upon freedom of navigation. They also highlighted their strong commitment to upholding peace, stability, and international law in the Indo-Pacific.

The European Union and the United States have been holding high-level meetings of the EU-US Dialogue on China since 2021. Through related joint press releases, they have continued to reiterate great regard for cross-strait peace and stability. This demonstrates that the maintenance of security across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific has become the consensus of the European Union, the United States, and other members of the democratic camp. In facing the recent collusion of authoritarian countries that openly challenge the international order, Taiwan—a responsible and democratic member of the Indo-Pacific community—seeks to collaborate with the European Union, the United States, and other like-minded partners to jointly uphold the rules-based international order and defend such shared values as democracy, freedom, and human rights.