Foreign ministers from the United States, Japan, and South Korea issued a joint statement reaffirming the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, ahead of the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping (習近平), expected to take place on September 24. 

U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio, Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 21. After the meeting, they issued a joint statement reaffirming the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, opposing any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo, and supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in relevant international organizations.

Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said on Tuesday, September 22, that the office welcomes and thanks the three foreign ministers for demonstrating a firm stance on Taiwan Strait, as well as regional security and stability, through concrete action. She said Taiwan will continue to cooperate with like-minded democratic partners to enhance its self-defense capabilities and jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy.

Kuo said that the need for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region is a broad consensus shared by the international community, as well as a necessary element for global security and prosperity.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said that it will continue to closely monitor high-level U.S.-China exchanges and maintain communication to ensure that Taiwan-U.S. relations continue to develop and deepen.