The US has expressed worries about the military activity of China near Taiwan. Washington has urged the latter to cut down the tension and refrain from taking any action that might change the balance in the area.
US Reaction to China’s Military Activities
China’s military recently carried out a series of exercises in the Taiwan Strait that involved the air and naval forces. The US Department of State made a call for restraint among the parties concerned.
The State Department’s representative Tommy Pigott said that the military drills and the intimidation of China near Taiwan contributed to the heightening of the tension in the whole region. He noted that the US is advising China to give up military pressure on Taiwan and allow the issues to be resolved through diplomatic means. Moreover, the US assures of its support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and disapproves of unilateral actions, coercion, and threats.
The Military Exercises in Detail
As Taiwan’s defence ministry reported, China had sent about 130 fighter aircraft and 14 navy vessels to the vicinity of Taiwan in 48 hours. Taipei reacted very negatively, calling these steps a danger to the security of the region.
Statements Made by Politicians Heighten the Tension
The situation became tenser when during his New Year’s speech, the Chinese leader Xi Jinping stated that the reunification of Taiwan would be continued as a matter of priority. On the other hand, Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te replied that the island would not give up and would come to confront what he called the expansion of China.
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