The two top diplomats from the US and U.K. on Tuesday (Sept. 10) discussed mutual measures needed to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy launched the “U.K.-US Strategic Dialogue” in London on Tuesday. After the meeting, Blinken said at a joint press conference that the two discussed how to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
Blinken said that his trip demonstrated the firm transatlantic support aligned with NATO allies, Indo-Pacific partners, and over 50 countries that continue to back Ukraine. He blamed Beijing for enabling Russia to continue its war against Ukraine by being its biggest supplier of machine tools and microelectronics.
The secretary of state said that talks continued on trilateral cooperation with Australia via AUKUS, particularly concerning nuclear-powered submarines. He said this shows surging efforts to connect allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific “because what happens in one theater has an impact on the other.”
Blinken said he and Lammy covered “joint efforts to ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and freedom of navigation and overflight of the South China Sea.” Blinken said both countries view maintaining peace and stability and preserving the status quo as essential.
“And it’s essential not just to us; it’s, again, essential to countries all around the world,” added Blinken.