U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks on maintaining cross-strait peace during his visit to China are welcomed by the government and people of Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs June 20.
During his June 18-19 visit to China, Blinken raised concern over China’s provocative behavior in the Taiwan Strait and emphasized the importance of stability in the region. The U.S. will continue to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances in order to ensure Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, he said.
It is in the international community’s best interest to preserve peace, especially since half of all cargo passes through the strait and Taiwan produces the bulk of the world’s advanced chips, Blinken said, adding that no country would remain unaffected if conflict broke out.
His remarks echoed statements by Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, and Kurt Campbell, coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, made during a news conference prior to Blinken’s departure.
According to the MOFA, Taiwan and the U.S. have long shared mutual trust and open communication, including on high-level interactions between the U.S. and China. The unwavering commitment of the U.S. to safeguarding the cross-strait status quo is deeply appreciated, the ministry said.
The government will continue to deepen partnership with the U.S. and other like-minded partners to defend the international rules-based order and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (POC-E)
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