Japan, US and South Korea oppose changing status quo amid Taiwan tension

The heads of diplomacy of Japan, the United States and South Korea said they oppose any attempt to change the status quo of the territories by force amid China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region, Kyodo News reported.While showing their determination to respond resolutely to any nuclear test by North Korea.

The meeting of Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin was held in New York on the sidelines of the annual session of the UN General Assembly . It came amid concerns that North Korea could carry out its first nuclear test in years.

After condemning the numerous launches of ballistic missiles carried out by North Korea at the beginning of the year, the three reaffirmed that if the country carries out what would be its seventh nuclear test, it would meet with “a firm and determined response from the international community.” .

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They also expressed “serious concern” over what they see as an “escalating and destabilizing” message from Pyongyang related to the use of nuclear weapons, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting, citing the recent approval of a new law by part of North Korea’s top legislative body that authorizes the launch of preemptive nuclear strikes.

The Japanese government said in a separate press release that the three countries will advance their trilateral security cooperation by bolstering the deterrence capabilities of the US-Japan and US-South Korea alliances.

The meeting also underscored the countries’ expansion of trilateral cooperation beyond North Korea, with Blinken saying at the start of the talks that tripartite ties are important for the United States to effectively address both regional security issues and global challenges. .

The three affirmed their shared commitment to supporting the needs of Pacific island nations, a region where China is expanding its influence, touching on better access to climate finance and efforts to improve maritime security and combat climate change. illegal fishing, according to the joint statement.

They also expressed “serious concern” over what they consider to be an “escalating and destabilizing” message from Pyongyang related to the use of nuclear weapons.

They also condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and stressed that they “will oppose any attempt to change the status quo of territories and zones by force or coercion anywhere in the world.”

The claim came amid fears that Taiwan could become the “next Ukraine”, with China increasing its military and diplomatic pressure on the self-ruled democratic island.

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to civil war. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Tensions between the United States and China have increased over Taiwan following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island in early August, and Beijing has held large-scale military drills nearby.

The previous foreign ministers’ meeting of Japan, the United States and South Korea was held in Indonesia in July.

The trilogue appears to be underway, with a trilateral summit held in June for the first time in some five years.

They also condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and stressed that “they will oppose any attempt to change the status quo of territories

Tokyo and Seoul, meanwhile, are making progress in improving their bilateral ties, which have been marred by history of war and other disputes.