TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's top diplomat welcomed defense talks between Washington and Tokyo that emphasized regional stability, as tensions continue to simmer across the narrow waterway separating the island from mainland China. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) expressed strong approval Monday (March 31) for discussions held between U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani (中谷元) that specifically addressed Taiwan Strait security concerns. During his remarks, Lin reaffirmed Taiwan's dedication to working alongside democratic partners in safeguarding shared values and political systems against external threats.
The high-level defense dialogue, which took place Sunday in Tokyo, saw both officials taking a firm stance against Beijing's increasingly assertive military posture in regional waters. Hegseth and Nakatani explicitly condemned Chinese efforts to reshape territorial boundaries through military intimidation and coercive tactics in both the East and South China Seas. Their discussions specifically addressed mounting concerns regarding intensified military activities in waters surrounding Taiwan. Responding to these talks, Foreign Minister Lin outlined Taiwan's strategic vision for strengthening economic resilience through collaboration with democratic allies, particularly emphasizing the development of supply chains free from authoritarian influence that would enhance security across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the broader Indo-Pacific region.
In an official communiqué released shortly after Lin's remarks, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) placed the defense talks within a broader diplomatic context. The ministry emphasized that this latest exchange represents a continuation of security discussions initiated during February's high-profile summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (石破茂). According to the statement, the consistent prioritization of Taiwan Strait security in these bilateral engagements demonstrates an emerging international consensus among democratic governments regarding the strategic importance of the region's stability to global security interests.
