On December 7, 2024, the “Australia-New Zealand Ministerial Consultations” (ANZMIN) issued a joint statement supporting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which was welcomed and affirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles, along with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, held the second annual “Australia-New Zealand Ministerial Consultations” with New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, and Minister of Defence Judith Collins in Auckland on December 6.
Following the meeting of the ANZMIN, a joint statement reiterated the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, opposed any unilateral changes to the status quo, and expressed concerns about the situation in the South China Sea.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated, “Australia and New Zealand are important friendly countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and bilateral relations have made significant progress in recent years. Maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea is a global consensus.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China further expressed, “We welcome the continued expression of concern from the international community and urge concrete actions to ensure an international order based on rules. Our government will also continue to promote ‘value diplomacy,’ cooperating with like-minded countries to enhance democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”