The US and South Korea have expressed concern over China’s recent “provocative actions,” as it had conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, raising tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
In a joint statement released by the US and South Korean governments after their “2+2 ministerial meeting,” both sides emphasized the importance of stability across the Strait.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday hosted a joint foreign and defense ministerial meeting with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and South Korean Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun.
Photo: AFP
The officials “expressed concern over provocative actions, particularly the recent military drills around Taiwan that escalate tension, and concurred that no further actions should be taken that could undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the statement said.
“Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community,” it added.
Washington and Seoul remained unchanged in their basic position about Taiwan, such as their wish for “the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues,” the statement said.
Photo: AP
On Oct. 14, shortly after Double Ten National Day, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched its “Joint Sword-2024B” military drills, sending its army, navy, air force and rocket force into the Taiwan Strait and to areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan, as a “stern warning to the separatist acts of Taiwanese independence forces.”
The drills came four days after President William Lai (賴清德) in a Double Ten National Day address said that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other.
It was the second large-scale military exercise since Lai took office on May 20. The PLA on May 23 had staged the “Joint Sword-2024A” military drills around Taiwan.
The 2+2 talks are bilateral meetings the US holds with key allies in the region, such as South Korea, Japan and Australia.
Washington and Seoul demonstrated their strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the “status quo” in the Indo-Pacific region and recognized the importance of opposing unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, the statement said.
The US and South Korea also underscored the importance of maritime safety and security, upholding international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, such as freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea, and the peaceful resolution of disputes as essential for regional stability and prosperity, it said.
The officials also condemned the “deepening military cooperation” between North Korea and Russia, including continued unlawful arms transfers and the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to help fight the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, Canada and South Korea held a foreign and defense ministerial meeting and in a joint statement also affirmed their “commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes.”
“We continue to advocate for peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
“We oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific,” it added. “We reaffirm that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to international security and prosperity.”
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