Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday, 17 June welcomed a joint statement by Group of Seven (G7) leaders reaffirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion. The statement, issued during the G7 Summit held under France's Presidency in Evian, also addressed tensions in the East and South China Seas.

What the G7 Statement Said

The G7 leaders collectively underscored the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded in the rule of law. Their statement read: “We highlight the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law. We reaffirm our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force or coercion, in the East and South China Seas and across the Taiwan Strait, which should only be resolved peacefully through dialogue.”

The declaration represents a collective signal from the world’s leading democracies at a moment of heightened military activity in the region. This is consistent with language the G7 has used in prior summits, though analysts note the Evian statement comes amid a marked escalation in Chinese military exercises around Taiwan in recent years.

Taipei’s Response

President Lai Ching-te responded directly to the G7 statement on X, expressing appreciation for the bloc’s position. “Deeply appreciate the G7 leaders for reaffirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion. As a responsible stakeholder, Taiwan will keep working with our partners to uphold regional peace and prosperity,” Lai wrote.

Taiwan continues to assert its sovereignty despite sustained pressure from Beijing, which maintains that the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out reunification by force. Taipei, backed by strong domestic public support, has consistently rejected this position.

The Taiping Island Incident

The G7 statement arrives in the wake of a significant maritime confrontation. On 11 June, two Chinese government vessels intruded into waters surrounding Taiwan’s Taiping Island in what Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) described as a “brazen and unprecedented” incursion. Taipei formally condemned the action on 12 June.

MoFA stated that the intrusion “severely violated Taiwan’s sovereignty and jeopardised the safety of Taiwanese vessels and personnel.” The ministry also reiterated that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other, and that the South China Sea Islands remain part of Taiwan’s territory under international law.

The ministry characterised the Taiping Island incursion as “another hostile escalation of grey-zone activities” following earlier harassment of cargo ships in Taiwan’s eastern waters, describing the pattern as “a grave threat to Taiwan’s sovereign rights and interests and maritime security, as well as regional peace.”

China’s Position and Regional Stakes

China has increased the frequency and scale of its military exercises around Taiwan in recent years, framing them as responses to what it calls separatist provocations and foreign interference. Beijing’s position remains that Taiwan must eventually be reunified with the mainland.

Taiwan’s MoFA urged the international community to “recognise the serious and immediate threat that China’s illegal actions pose to regional peace and stability, and to jointly counter China’s unlawful conduct.” The G7’s Evian statement may be read as a partial answer to that call, though the bloc stopped short of naming China explicitly in its Taiwan Strait language.

What Comes Next

The G7 summit in Evian is ongoing, with further statements on geopolitical issues expected. Taiwan’s government has signalled it will continue engaging multilateral partners to build coalitions in support of the rules-based international order. Whether the G7’s collective statement translates into concrete diplomatic or security measures remains to be seen.