Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Monday expressed gratitude toward United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken over his reiteration of support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait during his Saturday meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (??).
According to a State Department readout on the meeting which took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Blinken spoke of the “unacceptable violation of U.S. sovereignty and international law” by the PRC high-altitude surveillance balloon in U.S. territorial airspace, stressing that “this irresponsible act must never again occur.”
The U.S. top diplomat also reaffirmed there had been no change to the longstanding U.S. one China policy, and underscored “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” according to the readout.
A readout from China’s Foreign Ministry said Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, affirmed Beijing’s position on the so-called “balloon incident,” urging Washington to “change course, and acknowledge and resolve the damage its abuse of force has done to China-U.S. relations.”
Meanwhile, on the Taiwan issue, Wang told reporters after giving the keynote speech at the MSC that it was not Beijing “but the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces who want to change this status quo.”
Wang added that cross-strait peace should be maintained through firm opposition to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and sticking to the one-China principle which views Taiwan as part of Chinese territory.
Asked to comment, MOFA said in a Monday press release that Taiwan’s government welcomed and deeply appreciated Blinken’s latest public statement on ensuring peace in the Taiwan Strait.
With China escalating its unprovoked military actions in and around the Taiwan Strait, the Joe Biden administration has continued to “demonstrate a high regard for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the resolute U.S. support and consistent commitment to maintaining the status quo,” MOFA said.
It has done so by repeatedly expressing concern, issuing joint statements with other like-minded countries, and sending naval vessels to conduct freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait, MOFA said.
In the face of China’s military expansion and provocations, the government of Taiwan will “steadfastly enhance its self-defense capabilities, deepen its close security partnership with the U.S., and strengthen cooperation with other like-minded nations to ensure security across the Taiwan Strait and a free, open, peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific,” MOFA added.
China’s alleged balloon programs have drawn global attention after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was spotted and later shot down by the U.S. on Feb. 4 in American airspace.
The incident also triggered a diplomatic crisis, with Blinken calling off a trip to China.
Beijing has denied that the balloon was used for spying and claimed it was a civilian airship blown off course.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel