TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked Japan and the UK for reaffirming their commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. 

Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen and British Defense Secretary John Healey met in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss bilateral security ties. Following the meeting, they released a statement pledging increased cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and opposition to any attempt by China to unilaterally change the status quo in the region, reported the Yomiuri Shimbun. 

In a press release, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the statement from both leaders. He praised the steadfast support that Japan and the UK have shown for Taiwan. 

The meeting came as the UK's aircraft carrier the HMS Prince of Wales made a port call in Tokyo. Nakatani said that security cooperation between the two allies has reached an unprecedented level, as the UK seeks to increase its role in the region's security, per Reuters. 

The joint-statement from the defense officials emphasized that security issues in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic are inextricably linked. They condemned China’s provocative actions around Japan, Taiwan, and in the South China Sea, as well as China’s economic support of Russia’s war  in Ukraine. 

The foreign ministry said that Taiwan’s importance to regional and global security is well understood in the international community. Taiwan welcomes any action by like-minded countries that contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait.