U.S., EU back Taiwan's global role, call for China to show restraint

Washington, Sept. 11 (CNA) The United States and the European Union issued a joint statement on Wednesday supporting Taiwan's international participation and urging China to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait following high-level talks on China and the Indo-Pacific.

The statement notably omitted the "One China" policy, a departure from previous statements.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and European External Action Service Secretary General Stefano Sannino co-chaired the 7th U.S.-EU Dialogue on China and the 6th U.S.-EU Indo-Pacific Consultations from Sept. 9-10.

Since the Indo-Pacific consultations were launched in 2021, references to the "One China" policy have appeared in every statement apart from the one just issued and another in April 2022.

In 2021, both sides reaffirmed cooperation with Taiwan while adhering to their respective "One China" policies. After the policy was omitted in April 2022, it was mentioned in December of that year, affirming unchanged positions.

In the latest statement, the U.S. and EU emphasized the need for peace in the Taiwan Strait, rejecting unilateral changes to the status quo, particularly through force.

The U.S. and EU stressed the importance of maintaining open communication with China while engaging in fair competition and pursuing diplomacy on common interests and disagreements.

They expressed concern over China's support for Russia in its war in Ukraine and urged Beijing to uphold international law, stressing that any peace plan must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The two sides also addressed China's human rights abuses, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang, and called for cooperation with the United Nations human rights office. They pledged to counter China's transnational repression and raised concerns over the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy.

Condemning China's actions in the East and South China Seas, the U.S. and EU called for freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes, especially regarding the Philippines. They reaffirmed the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling as binding.

The statement highlighted continued U.S.-EU cooperation on Indo-Pacific security, including joint maritime operations and a roundtable to be held at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

The next dialogue is set for Washington next year.