US and South Korea condemn China's military exercises around Taiwan

On Friday, the United States and South Korea voiced their concerns regarding China's recent "provocative actions," which included extensive military exercises around Taiwan, heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

In a joint statement following the 2024 2+2 ministerial meeting, the U.S. and South Korean governments highlighted the significance of maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait Focus Taiwan reported.

On October 31, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a joint foreign and defence ministerial meeting with South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

The statement said "They (the four U.S. and South Korea officials) expressed concern over provocative actions, particularly the recent military drills around Taiwan that escalate tension and concurred that no further actions should be taken that could undermine peace and stability across Taiwan Strait,"

 

"Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community," the statement added.

According to the statement noted the U.S. and South Korea maintained their fundamental stance on Taiwan, expressing their desire for "the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues."

On October 14, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) initiated military exercises dubbed "Joint Sword-2024B," engaging the army, navy, air force, and rocket force in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding regions to the north, south, and east of Taiwan, intended as a "stern warning against the separatist actions of Taiwan independence forces."

The Chinese military drills came only days after President Lai Ching-te said in his Oct. 10 National Day address that China has "no right to represent Taiwan." Lai of the pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) reiterated in the speech that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other.

Political parties in Taiwan criticized China's military maneuvers, with the DPP expressing strong condemnation of Beijing for its "irrational" and "provocative" exercises.

The 2+2 talks are bilateral meetings that Washington conducts with its key regional allies, including South Korea, Japan, and Australia.

In their joint statement, the two U.S. secretaries and South Korean ministers also denounced the "deepening military cooperation" between North Korea and Russia, which involves ongoing illegal arms transfers and the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to assist in the conflict in Ukraine.

The report further indicates that sources from the U.S. and Japan indicate that approximately 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and may collaborate with Russian forces in actions against Ukraine.

The statement, referencing American and South Korean officials from the joint meeting, noted that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia not only breaches several United Nations Security Council resolutions but also extends the suffering of the Ukrainian people and poses a threat to stability in both the Indo-Pacific region and Europe.

The statement referenced American and South Korean officials from the joint meeting, who remarked that the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea not only contravenes several United Nations Security Council resolutions but also exacerbates the suffering of the Ukrainian people and jeopardizes stability in both the Indo-Pacific region and Europe.

The statement indicated that Washington and Seoul condemned Russia's military actions against Ukraine as "brutal, unprovoked, and unjustifiable," acknowledging that such behaviour violates the U.N. Charter.

The statement said ""Both sides committed to enforce the current autonomous sanctions regime and actively pursue necessary measures together with the international community to deter further unlawful, reckless, and destabilizing behaviour,"

The statement noted that Washington and Seoul expressed strong opposition to any unilateral efforts to alter the status quo in the Indo-Pacific waters, while also acknowledging the significance of countering illegal maritime claims in the South China Sea.

In the statement, the U.S. and South Korea emphasized the importance of maritime safety and security, highlighting the need to uphold international law as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. They stressed that freedom of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea, along with the peaceful resolution of disputes, are crucial for regional stability and prosperity.