TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign ministers from the US, Japan, and South Korea advised against “increasingly frequent destabilizing actions” around Taiwan on Monday, according to a joint statement after their meeting.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, according to Reuters. 

The three countries stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. They also encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo.  

Rubio, Takeshi, and Hyun also expressed support for Taiwan's “meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.”

While the joint statement did not mention Beijing by name, China's foreign ministry said it strongly deplored and opposed the “irresponsible” remarks made by the three countries, and urged them to “cease any form of connivance with separatist activities of Taiwan independence,” per Reuters.   

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the joint statement. Taipei will work with the US, Japan, South Korea, and other like-minded partners to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific, Reuters cited MOFA Spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) as saying.