Response of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan to Joint Statement on Australia-New Zealand Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN) 2024
Feb. 02, 2024
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Rt. Hon Winston Peters and Minister for Defense Hon Judith Collins KC MP visited Australia from January 31 to February 1 2024, and held the inaugural Australia and New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministers' Meeting (ANZMIN) with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia, the Hon Richard Marles MP, as well as Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong. After the meeting, New Zealand and Australia governments issued a joint statement reaffirming the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and their shared opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan sincerely welcomes this development and highly acknowledges the joint statement.
Since Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese assumed office, the government of Australia has publicly affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposed unilateral changes to the status quo and supported Taiwan’s international participation at multiple international events. New Zealand completed its general election last October, under leadership of the new Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the coalition government of New Zealand has fulfilled its commitments with real actions on the maintenance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. This time, New Zealand has joined Australia in expressing serious concerns on the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan wishes to register its gratitude and acknowledgement. The above-mentioned development shows Taiwan’s key role in the stability and prosperity in the Indo-pacific region, and the world. Taiwan appreciates the increasing support from democratic partners around the globe.
The government of Taiwan will continue to work closely with Australia, New Zealand and other like-minded countries, based on existing solid foundation of cooperation, to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific, expand Taiwan’s international space, defend our democratic system, and shared values of freedom and human rights, as well as safeguarding the rules-based international order.
Link: MOFA response to inclusion of Taiwan-friendly comments in joint statement following inaugural ANZMIN
