The United States has called on China to exercise restraint as Beijing begins military drills around Taiwan. The US State Department has said that the country is prepared to meet its security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region.
A spokesperson for the State Department has urged China to maintain the status quo and refrain from any changes. “Our channels of communication with the PRC remain open, and we have consistently urged restraint and no change to the status quo,” the spokesperson said.
The US has sold weapons to Taiwan for self-defense for decades but has not clarified whether it would militarily defend the self-ruled democracy claimed by Beijing. The US has treaty-bound commitments to defend allies in the region, such as Japan, whose waters were affected by China’s previous military exercises around Taiwan in August.
China announced military drills as a “stern warning” to Taiwan after its President, Tsai Ing-wen, met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. US officials have described the visit as a routine transit on her way to and from Latin America.
McCarthy has since voiced defiance, saying there is no place that China can tell him where he can go or whom he can speak to. “I am the Speaker of the House. There is no place that China is going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to,” McCarthy wrote on Twitter.
The latest developments come as tensions between China and Taiwan continue to rise, with Beijing seeking to reunify with the island, which it considers a breakaway province. The US has been supporting Taiwan diplomatically and militarily, much to the dismay of Beijing.
The situation is being closely monitored by the international community, with concerns that any escalation could lead to a full-blown conflict with severe implications for global peace and stability. The US has repeatedly called for peaceful resolution of disputes, and it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve in the coming days and weeks.
