April 19, 2024
Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held bilateral talks in Manila on April 18. Following the meeting, they issued a joint statement affirming the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) greatly welcomes this statement and appreciates that high-level officials of the Philippines and New Zealand continue to publicly express their firm position on maintaining cross-strait peace and stability.
China’s military intimidation and gray-zone coercion constitute a formidable challenge to regional security and have elicited significant international concern. The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is pleased to see the international community’s continued attention to cross-strait peace and security and welcomes steps taken by other countries to further ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan will continue to cooperate with the Philippines, New Zealand, and other like-minded nations to jointly defend the rules-based international order and promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity.