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U.S., Japan reaffirm stance on Taiwan in '2+2' meeting

ROC Central News Agency

01/12/2023 01:47 PM

Washington, Jan. 11 (CNA) The U.S.' and Japan's top diplomats and military officials stated after the "2+2" U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee on Wednesday that the two countries' basic position on Taiwan remains unchanged, while reiterating the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait for the international community.

The meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada was held in Washington D.C. ahead of a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida scheduled for Friday.

The "2+2" meeting covered a range of security issues, from bolstering the U.S.-Japan alliance and deterrence, the situation in the Taiwan Strait, the Russian war on Ukraine, North Korea's increased frequency of missile launches to regional stability.

In a post-meeting news conference, Yoshima said the participants reaffirmed that the basic positions of the two countries over Taiwan remain unchanged and confirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is an essential element for the safety and prosperity of the international community.

This stance was repeated in a joint statement released after the meeting.

The participants agreed that China's provocative and coercive actions and unlawful claims on islands in the South China Sea have posed an "unprecedented and greatest strategic challenge" for the two countries, Yoshima said.

The U.S. and Japan would continue to raise objections to China's attempt to recreate the international order, which is a grave concern for the U.S.-Japan alliance and the international community, he said.

At the same time, the participants concurred that there have not been any changes to their policies to strengthen communication with China, including in the area of security, Yoshimasa said.

Responding to media queries on what the two sides agreed upon during the meeting in regards to strengthening the deterrence against China unilaterally changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, Blinken said that the U.S.-Japan alliance intends to bolster the status quo that China is looking to change, which has underpinned peace and stability in the Strait for decades.

The U.S. and Japan oppose any actions to unilaterally change that status quo and would continue to call for a calm and resolute approach to uphold peace and stability, he said.

Austin was asked whether he still holds the view he expressed in October last year that he did not see an imminent invasion of Taiwan by China, Austin said he "seriously doubt" that China would invade Taiwan imminently despite a recent buildup of Chinese military activity around Taiwan.

China has demonstrated some "very provocative" behavior -- including increased aerial and surface vessel activity in the strait -- near Taiwan in an attempt to "establish a new normal," but it is doubtful that this endeavor would precipitate an invasion of Taiwan, Austin said.

"We will continue to watch and we will continue to work with our allies and partners to do everything that we can to ensure that we promote peace and stability in the strait and -- and in the region overall," he said.

(By Chiang Chin-yeh and Sean Lin)

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