TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday welcomed the joint statement issued by the foreign and defense ministers of Canada and South Korea calling for cross-strait stability.

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand and Minister of National Defense David McGuinty met with their South Korean counterparts, Cho Hyun for foreign affairs, and Ahn Gyuback for defense, in Ottawa Wednesday. The joint statement about the meeting also mentioned Taiwan, MOFA said.

Both countries said they strongly supported peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposed “any unilateral actions that seek to alter the status quo.” In addition, South Korea and Canada said the South China Sea should see peace, security, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight maintained.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) expressed his approval of the determination by Canada and South Korea to support security and stability in the Taiwan Strait. 

Wednesday’s event was the second “2+2” meeting for the countries. They launched a Security and Defense Cooperation Partnership in October, and said they were preparing negotiations for a Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Taiwan said it would continue to cooperate with countries holding similar values.