The United States and New Zealand held a strategic dialogue, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as expressing serious concerns over China’s provocation of a Filipino vessel in the South China Sea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) highly appreciated and sincerely thanked the support of the U.S.-New Zealand strategic dialogue for peace in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.
During his visit to New Zealand on August 30, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, in Auckland for the U.S.-New Zealand strategic dialogue. They underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and expressed deep concern about the dangers, destabilization, and provocations in the South China Sea, particularly China’s actions against a Filipino vessel.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China released a press release stating that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and New Zealand’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, calling for dialogue to peacefully resolve cross-strait issues. They also expressed serious concerns about China’s repeated provocations against Filipino vessels in the South China Sea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China highly appreciated and sincerely thanked them for their stance.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China pointed out that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea is a global consensus. The ministry welcomed like-minded countries continuing to voice concerns in international fora to ensure a rules-based international order through practical actions. The government of the Republic of China will also continue to promote “value diplomacy” to collectively uphold democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
On August 31, the Philippine Coast Guard’s patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua was harassed and intentionally rammed multiple times by Chinese Coast Guard ships while weighing anchor at Sabina Shoal, marking the third recent maritime clash in the same area between the two sides.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated that China has recently been using the pretext of “safeguarding rights” in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal to continue harassing and obstructing the legal navigation of Philippine vessels through illegal, coercive, forceful, and dangerous actions, leading to multiple maritime collisions. Condemning China’s repeated and deliberate creation of maritime conflicts in the same area and its bullying behavior that escalates tensions in the South China Sea, the ministry once again strongly denounced such actions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China reiterated Taiwan’s opposition to any threats to the security of the South China Sea and actions that disrupt regional peace and stability. It called on all parties to exercise restraint, abide by international law and relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and insist on resolving disputes peacefully. The Republic of China will continue to closely monitor the situation in the South China Sea with international partners to jointly uphold regional peace and stability.