Taiwan-China Relations

Europe and US Condemn China's Naval Pressure East of Taiwan

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By TaiwanPlus

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Germany, the UK, and France have issued a joint statement warning that Chinese naval and coast guard patrols east of Taiwan threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation, and shipping safety. A US State Department official separately called Chinese Coast Guard harassment of commercial vessels in the Pacific "deeply destabilizing." Taiwan's foreign minister thanked the countries for their support.

Chinese Maritime Pressure

 

REPORTER:  

Several European countries and the US have raised concerns about China's naval and coast guard patrols east of Taiwan.

 

In a joint statement Wednesday, the Taiwan representative offices of Germany, the UK, and France said China's actions threaten regional stability, freedom of navigation, and shipping safety. They also reiterated their opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. In a separate report from Reuters, a US State Department official described Chinese Coast Guard vessels’ harassment of commercial ships in the Pacific as "deeply destabilizing." Taiwan’s foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung thanked the countries for their statements.