The G7 on Wednesday called for protecting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and support for the nation’s meaningful participation in international organizations, while the UK and Japan reiterated the same position in a meeting of ministers.
The member states of the G7 urged a “peaceful resolution” of the issues between Taiwan and China after calling peace in the Strait “indispensable” to world security and prosperity in a joint statement issued by the G7 foreign ministers after their meeting in Tokyo.
The “basic position” of the G7 on Taiwan, including the “one China” policy, remains unchanged, it added.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The group expressed support for Taipei’s bid to meaningfully take part in international organizations, citing WHO technical meetings and the World Health Assembly as examples.
The G7 said it is “concerned” about the state of human rights in China, including Xinjiang and Tibet, while calling on Beijing to conduct its affairs in Hong Kong in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong’s Basic Law.
The Basic Law includes “rights, freedoms and a high degree of autonomy” for the territory, it said.
The group additionally asked China to abide by its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
Beijing was prompted to refrain from carrying out “interference activities” aimed at undermining the security and safety of foreign nations, the integrity of democratic institutions and economic prosperity, it said.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) thanked the G7 nations for voicing their support and emphasizing the importance of peace across the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan, a member of the coalition of democracies, will continue to enhance its collaboration with the US, Japan, the EU members and other like-minded countries to safeguard democracy, freedom and peace, it said.
MOFA also thanked the ministers attending the Japan-UK Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo, and said that Taiwan welcomes their statement.
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa and Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara, and their British counterparts, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly and Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Strait.
Beijing was called upon to act as a “responsible member” of the global community and not assist Russia in its unprovoked war against Ukraine, the ministers said.
Japan and the UK underscored their “strong opposition” to making any unilateral change to the “status quo” via coercion or force, they said.
The two nations expressed “serious concern” over the situation in the East and South China seas, and urged involved parties to base their maritime actions and claims according to the UN Law of the Sea, they said.
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