The US on Thursday last week reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during a second round of China-US maritime affairs consultations, the US Department of State said on Monday.
US Department of State China Coordinator and Deputy Assistant Secretary for China and Taiwan Mark Lambert met virtually with Chinese Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs Director-General Hong Liang (洪亮), the department said in a statement.
“The United States reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and shared deep concerns regarding People’s Liberation Army joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan,” it said.
Photo: Reuters
“The two sides discussed the current situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea, as well as other maritime issues,” the department said. “The United States raised concerns with the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China] dangerous and destabilizing actions interfering with other states’ exercise of high-seas freedoms of navigation and reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad alliance commitments and steadfast support for upholding the international law of the sea.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that both countries agreed to maintain dialogue and manage risks.
Both sides exchanged views on the maritime situation, and agreed to maintain communication, and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations, the ministry said.
Beijing expressed serious concern about the US’ infringement of and provocations in nearby waters, and urged Washington to refrain from intervening in disputes between China and its neighbors, or “use the sea to control China,” it said.
The US should immediately stop supporting and condoning “Taiwan independence” forces, the ministry added.
The US maintains direct interactions with Taiwan, including arms sales, which Beijing opposes.
China has also urged the US to not take sides in the South China Sea.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS