TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and European External Action Service Secretary General Stefano Sannino on Friday (Dec. 2) voiced concerns over China’s actions in the Taiwan Strait during the two-day EU-U.S. Dialogue on China in Washington, D.C.

They said China’s “problematic and unilateral actions” in the Taiwan Strait and the South and East China Seas are a threat to the peace and security of the region and directly affect the security and prosperity of the U.S. and EU, according to a joint statement.

The two discussed human rights abuses and violations in China in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong, and highlighted the importance of holding every nation to the same international law and principles. Sherman and Sannino also said they were ready to bolster U.S.-EU information sharing to combat disinformation from China.

Maintaining and establishing economic and technological resilience, expanding and strengthening supply chains, and addressing economic coercion were issues to work on, they said. The two officials added that protecting intellectual property rights, critical infrastructure, and other secret technologies needed to be considered.

Despite much criticism of China, the officials acknowledged that the U.S. and EU must continue to engage with Beijing and work with it in areas such as reducing methane emissions and decarbonization.

Sherman and Sannino agreed to continue high-level meetings halfway through 2023. This is the fourth high-level meeting of the U.S.-EU Dialogue on China, according to the U.S. State Department.