TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday welcomed a joint statement by Australia and New Zealand emphasizing the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait.
The statement came at the close of Tuesday’s third ANZMIN 2+2 meeting in Canberra. Participants in the annual consultations were New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, Defense Minister Judith Collins, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Defense Minister Richard Marles.
The four government ministers expressed opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. They also called on each side to prioritize dialogue over coercion and military force, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Australia and New Zealand said they wanted to continue deepening economic, trade, and cultural relations with Taiwan while enhancing the coordination of development efforts in the Pacific.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the two countries shared universal values with Taiwan, including respect for democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. The statement from the four ministers also showed that safeguarding peace in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific had become part of an international consensus, the ministry said.
