The United States has criticised recent Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, saying the war games had “unnecessarily” escalated tensions and urging Beijing to halt its military pressure on the self-ruled island.
Beijing this week launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter jets, naval vessels and coastguard ships in drills that encircled Taiwan, simulating a blockade of its key ports. Taiwan’s government condemned the maneuvers as “highly provocative,” warning they threatened regional stability.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said China’s military activity and rhetoric were inflaming the situation, reiterating Washington’s opposition to any unilateral change to the status quo by force or coercion. The United States, which has long supported Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, again called for dialogue across the Taiwan Strait.
China defended the exercises as “legitimate,” urging other countries to respect the one-China principle and to stop what it described as interference.
The drills marked Beijing’s sixth major round of military maneuvers near Taiwan since 2022, underscoring the increasingly fraught standoff between China, Taiwan and the United States.
