U.S. warns China to pull back as Taiwan tensions rise
“China’s military actions and statements against Taiwan and other regional actors unnecessarily escalate tensions,” US State Department deputy chief spokesman Tommy Pigott said on Thursday, Focus Taiwan reported.
“We call on Beijing to exercise restraint, stop military intimidation against Taiwan and instead pursue a meaningful dialogue,” Pigott said. he said.
“The United States remains committed to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and rejects any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, including through force or coercion,” he added.
Also Read: Taiwan calls China’s ‘Justice Mission 2025’ exercise a threat to regional peace
China’s recent large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan have drawn harsh international criticism, with governments and lawmakers warning China’s actions risk destabilizing the Indo-Pacific and increasing regional tensions.
The two-day exercise, which ended on December 31, involved extensive naval and air deployments and was widely seen as a show of force aimed at putting pressure on the autonomous island. The European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines have expressed serious concerns about the exercises. In its statement, the European External Action Service emphasized that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are vital for global security and prosperity, and warned against unilateral attempts to change the status quo by coercive or military means.
The PLA conducted military exercises dubbed “Justice Mission-2025” in five sea and airspaces surrounding Taiwan from Monday to Tuesday, describing them as a “stern warning” to separatist forces in the so-called “Taiwan independence” movement, Focus Taiwan reported.
Also Read: China expands blockade capabilities near Taiwan on second day of military exercises
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that the PLA launched 27 rockets on the second day of the drills, 10 of which landed in waters within a 24 nautical mile contiguous area of Taiwan, marking China’s closest live-fire activity ever recorded near Taiwan.
The ministry said in a statement on Friday that 6 PLAN ships and 1 official ship were detected operating around Taiwan by 6 a.m., and 2 PRC balloons were also detected during this time. Taiwan officials said their Armed Forces were monitoring the situation and responding.
