Source: Taiwan's Defence Ministry
Washington/Taipei/Beijing: Urging Beijing to “act with restraint”, the United States of America today said it was closely monitoring the Chinese army’s joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan.
The US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington was “deeply concerned” over the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) joint military drills and was coordinating with allies and partners regarding their “shared concerns”.
“Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes longstanding norms that for decades have maintained peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is critical for regional and global security and prosperity and a matter of international concern,” Miller stated.
Earlier, the European External Action Service (EEAS) released a statement on May 23, 2024, addressing China’s Joint Sword-2024A military drills, stating that China’s military activities around Taiwan had increased cross-strait tensions.
The statement stressed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait were important for regional and global security and prosperity, that the European Union (EU) had a direct interest in the preservation of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and that the EU opposed any unilateral actions that change the status quo by force or coercion. It called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that could further escalate cross-strait tensions, which should be resolved through dialogue.
Noting the PLA launching a two-day military drill around Taiwan called Joint Sword-2024A on May 23, 2024, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that was escalating tensions in the region. Taiwan too urged China to exercise self-restraint and stop any actions that undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raise tensions in the region. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said its army, navy, air force and coast guards were “tightly” monitoring the PLA’s activities and “taking concrete actions to safeguard freedom and democracy.
Taiwan regretted that China, despite continuous and strong international concern over developments in the Taiwan Strait, has repeatedly threatened Taiwan’s democracy and unilaterally disrupted the cross-strait status quo and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
“The Republic of China (Taiwan) will spare no effort in safeguarding the cross-strait status quo and urges China to return to reason and show self-restraint, to stop unilaterally undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and to refrain from actions that raise regional tensions,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated. While thanking the EU for its “continued concern” over the cross-strait situation, Taiwan asserted that its commitment to uphold democracy will not change as a result of any coercion or suppression. “Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperative relationships with like-minded partners such as the EU to jointly safeguard the values of freedom and democracy, defend the rules-based international order, uphold the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” MOFA stated.
China, however, declared that “Taiwan is China’s Taiwan”. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Webin, asserted that the US was in “no position to point its fingers at China”, and that “Attempts for “Taiwan independence” will lead nowhere”.
Wenbin said the tensions in the Taiwan Strait are caused by the DPP [Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party] authorities’ attempt to solicit US support for “Taiwan independence” and the attempt of some in the US to use Taiwan to contain China in the name of regional peace and stability. “If the US truly wants to keep the Taiwan Strait peaceful and stable, it should unequivocally uphold the one-China principle and oppose “Taiwan independence”. China will never tolerate any attempt by anyone to provide an umbrella for “Taiwan independence” separatist activities under whatever pretexts,” he said.
The US, however, reiterated its position that it remains committed to its longstanding one-China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances.
Meanwhile, the Philippines opened a coast guard post in the north of the country in response to “China’s military buildup” near Taiwan over the past two years. China, however, advised the Philippines to “stay committed to the one-China principle and stay prudent when it comes to the Taiwan question”.
– global bihari bureau
