TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday (July 11) welcomed the joint declaration on foreign policy, security, and defense signed by the U.K. and Poland on July 6, which reaffirmed their support for peace in the Taiwan Strait.

In the statement, the U.K. and Poland said their positions on Taiwan “remain unchanged” and stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The two countries pledged to “seek development of constructive bilateral relations” with China and to cooperate with Beijing on global challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pandemic prevention.

MOFA said in a press release that it appreciates the renewed wave of support from the global democratic community for security in the Taiwan Strait. “Taiwan stands at the forefront of defending freedom and democracy,” the ministry said.

The joint statement also called on China to “comply with its international obligations,” including on human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and to refrain from aiding Russia or Russian proxies in its invasion of Ukraine.

The U.K. and Poland said they would continue to cooperate with the U.S., European partners, NATO allies, and other regional countries "to support free and sustainable economic growth in the region, uphold global norms and principles, and defend our interests and shared values."

Taiwan will continue deepening exchanges and cooperation with like-minded partners such as the U.K. and Poland in various areas, including the economy, academia, and countering disinformation, MOFA added. “By strengthening democratic resilience and unity, Taiwan aims to jointly safeguard the rules-based international order and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region,” the ministry said.