Germany’s top diplomat finds unilateral change to status quo in Taiwan Strait unacceptable

Military & Defense April 14, 2023, 11:02

"We expect all the parties, through their actions, to contribute to stability and peace in the region which is why we have been doing all we can in international formats to prevent further escalation of violence in the region," Annalena Baerbock concluded

BEIJING, April 14. /TASS/. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock denounced as unacceptable any unilateral and violent change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

Speaking at a news conference with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing on Friday, she warned China against using force to solve the conflict.

"Any destabilization in the Taiwan Strait would have dramatic consequences for every country and, therefore, for the entire global economy, as well as for our country," Germany’s top diplomat said. The fallout from such a global economic crisis would hit China and Germany hardest, she added.

"Conflicts must be solved peacefully. A unilateral, violent change to the status quo would be unacceptable for us Europeans," Baerbock said, adding that Germany was monitoring the situation in the Taiwan Strait with great concern. "A military escalation in the Taiwan Strait, through which 50% of global trade passes daily, would be a horror for the entire world," she maintained.

"We expect all the parties, through their actions, to contribute to stability and peace in the region which is why we have been doing all we can in international formats to prevent further escalation of violence in the region," the German foreign minister concluded.

Taiwan, China’s largest island, has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Taipei has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took control of the mainland. According to Beijing’s official position, which is supported by most countries, including Russia, the island of Taiwan is a province of China.

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