The second meeting of the Steering Group of the Taiwan Ecumenical Forum for Justice and Peace will be held in Taipei, Taiwan, on July 23 and 24, 2018. The confirmed international participants are: Co-convenors Collin Cowan (CWM) and Chris Ferguson (WCRC). Members: Lee Hong Jung (NCCK) Makoto Kato (UCCJ), Melzar Labuntog (UCCP), Park Sungkook (PROK) and Sunita Suna (WSCF). Most of the PCT TEF Task Force members will also participate.
The Steering Group (SG) will receive an extensive briefing on the latest developments in the two transitional justice commissions and Taiwan’s international relations. These will be provided by Rev. Omi Wilang, a PCT Program Secretary and member of Transitional Commission for Indigenous Peoples, Prof. Yang-en Cheng, WCC Central Committee member and Prof. Victor Hsu, Coordinator of the PCT TEF Task Force. After these briefings, the SG will focus on the planning for the first forum scheduled for the end of November 2018. Ms. Nancy Lin, former WCC Central Committee member and Ms. Sunita Suna, WSCF Asia/Pacific Secretary will lead the opening devotions.
The SG will also approve a revised Terms of Reference for the Forum to adopt.
The SG meets at a time when the relationship between Taiwan and China has reached a total impasse. Over the first three months of this year, China constricted Taiwan’s international space On July 9, China urged the United States to avoid actions that endanger peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait after two U.S. warships sailed through the waters. U.S. officials said two U.S. destroyers carried out the passage on July 7-8, calling the maneuver a "routine transit" through international waters. The ships' passage also followed a series of Chinese military drills around Taiwan that generated friction between Taipei and Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "the Taiwan issue is related to Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity." "We urge the United States to at once scrupulously abide by the one-China principle...and avoid harming China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
Representatives from both churches expressed their hope that the partnership will be strong and lead new people to follow Christ. The Presbyterian Church of Formosa in Brazil (Pa-se Tiong-hoe) is already a third generation since the early days of immigration of many Taiwanese. The KEC Moderator, Rev. Lee Youngho, regretfully was unable to be present but KEC Vice Moderator, Rev. Youn Chulho, delivered and read his written message in which he expressed their churches hope that the partnership would search for a common strategy to confront the challenges to the Christian faith, through Bible study, and prayer. Moderator Lee said that only in that way could the church be the salt and light of the earth. The PCT Moderator, Rev. Hsieh Pao-Tsan responded to these warm words indicating that doing mission and evangelism together would give meaningful expression to mutuality as members of one body, one faith and one baptism. He was delighted that all the three churches had matured from the early sacrifice and witness of the missionaries.
China’s other tactics, in addition to forcing Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to switch their recognition, barring Taiwan from the World Health Assembly and persuading international organizations to deny Taiwan’s membership application to the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Interpol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
President Donald Trump unveiled the mandated annual National Security Strategy report on Dec. 18 last year. For the first time since 1990, the report mentioned Taiwan by name and clearly reaffirmed the US’ defense commitment to Taiwan. The US intends to “maintain our strong ties to Taiwan in accordance with our ‘one China’ policy, including our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide for Taiwan’s legitimate defense needs and deter coercion,” the report said.
In March this year, the US Congress unanimously passed and Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act, designed to give moral and political support to Taipei by encouraging US officials to make recognized visits to the country.
TEF第二次的執行小組（Steering Group，SG）會議將於2018年7月23日至24日在台灣台北舉行。確認出席者：共同召集人世界傳道會（CWM）總幹事Collin Cowan及普世改革宗教會聯盟（WCRC）總幹事Chris Ferguson。執行小組成員如下：Lee Hong Jung （韓國教會合作協會，NCCK）、Makoto Kato（日本基督教團，UCCJ）、Melzar Labuntog（菲律賓聯合基督教會，UCCP）、Park Sungkook（韓國基督教長老會，PROK）及Sunita Suna（世界學生基督徒聯盟，WSCF)
在 SG 會議中，台灣基督長老教會（PCT）原宣幹事及原住民轉型正義成員Omi Wilang牧師、普世教會協會（WCC）中央委員會成員鄭仰恩博士及PCT工作小組（PCT Task Force）召集人徐望志教授將簡述兩次促進轉型正義委員會及台灣國際關係的最新動態發展。完成簡報後，SG也將著手規劃2018年11月底舉行的第一次TEF論壇，並由前WCC中央委員會成員鄭明敏女士與WSCF亞太幹事Sunita Suna女士共同主持開幕敬拜。
SG 也會提供核准修訂的職權範圍（Terms of Reference）予論壇採用。
SG會議於台灣及中國關係陷入僵局之際舉行。今年初，中國於10起事件中限制台灣的國際空間，去年增加了49起此類事件，2016年有18起，2015年則是13起。中國甚至單方面在一條被認為是國際空間的航線上開通了北行航班。
中國外交部發言人華春瑩指出，海峽兩岸的問題牽涉中國的主權及國土的完整性，中國要求美國嚴格遵守一個中國原則，避免傷害中美關係及台海的和平穩定。
此外，中國也強迫台灣的邦交國與台灣斷交、禁止台灣參與世界衛生大會及說服主辦單位拒絕台灣申請加入國際民用航空組織、國際刑警組織及聯合國氣候變遷綱要公約。
去年 12 月 18 日，美國總統川普公佈國家安全戰略年度報告。自 1990 年以來，台灣首次在報告中被正式提及，同時美國也再次確認對台灣的防禦承諾。報告指出，美國有意遵循一個中國政策，同時維持與台灣的緊密關係。包括根據《台灣關係法》所做出的承諾，以提供台灣正當防衛需求，並阻止任何外力脅迫。
今年3月，美國國會一致通過《台灣旅行法》，並由川普總統簽屬，旨在鼓勵美國官員認可台灣並來台參訪，為台灣提供道義及政治上的支持。