TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japan and the US reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during a meeting between their top diplomats in India, the Nation Thailand reported Tuesday.
Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday on the sidelines of a Quad meeting in New Delhi. The Quad includes Australia, India, Japan, and the US, and is widely seen as a response to China’s growing power.
Speaking after the meeting, Motegi said the two sides discussed Indo-Pacific security, including China-related challenges. Motegi said the US and Japan also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, per the Mainichi.
Asked whether Taiwan was discussed, a US State Department spokesperson told CNA by email that Washington has a long-standing interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The spokesperson said the US opposes any unilateral change to the status quo, especially by force or coercion.
The spokesperson said cross-strait differences should be resolved peacefully and without coercion. Any outcome should be acceptable to people in Taiwan and China.
A joint statement after the meeting said the four countries remained concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea. It said they opposed actions that could harm regional peace and stability, including the use of force or coercion.
The statement also expressed concern over dangerous actions at sea and in the air. It cited interference with offshore resource development, obstruction of navigation and overflight, and unsafe actions by military aircraft, coast guard vessels, and maritime militia vessels.
