North Korea's test firing the ballistic missiles, Cho said, "has raised tensions in East Asia and aroused the world's deep concern. In particular, many neighboring countries have felt threatened and expressed their condemnation," noted the spokesman.
An official statement available on the Web site of the presidential office states, "The Office of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) strongly condemns North Korea's provocative act, which has severely threatened the peace of the Asian-Pacific region and the rest of the world."
In the views of the Office of the President, peace is a universal value and the pursuit of it is a basic human right; that the North Korean government showed off its military forces regardless of peace will absolutely be opposed by all the other nations. Hence, the world should stand united to pressure North Korea to abstain from the wrongful act that has breached human peace.
The missile test, the statement continues, again proves the importance of collective security in East Asia. "As a country whose security and interests are at stake in this region, Taiwan once was threatened by China's missile test in 1996. We, therefore, call on all nations involved to build up an effective mechanism for security that will allow each nation to contain itself and remain rational and constructive when facing impasses of this kind.
"In order to find room for consultation and cooperation in the future, we also call on all the nations to comply with international mainstream values: 'replace confrontation with cooperation' and to 'settle conflict through dialogue,'" the statement reads.
"While occupied with North Korea's missile test, the international community should pay equal concern over cross-strait peace, for Taiwan is also menaced by the missiles deployed by China in spite of violating peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," the statement continues. "As a member of the international community, the Republic of China (Taiwan) is willing to share its obligations and duties, and take part in collective efforts in maintaining regional stability and world peace," it concludes.
Liu Te-hsun, vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, also made an appeal to the international community to pay more attention to China's military expansion, which has heightened apprehension about peace in the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, most of the international community is condemning North Korea's test firing of several missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile.
Liu noted that the government in Taiwan has done its best to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific Region.
"However, China's positioning of hundreds of missiles against Taiwan poses a threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait, and even the security of all of Asia. We hope the international community can pay more attention to China's expenditure of huge amounts of resources toward its military growth and procurement of large amounts of sophisticated weapons in recent years," Liu said.