The Trump administration expressed its opposition to China's recent war games in Taiwanese water and air space Tuesday.
The joint exercises involve navy, air ground, and rocket forces, according to Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command.
The drills are meant to be a "severe warning and forceful containment against Taiwan independence," Shi said in a statement.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump "is emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, encouraging the peaceful resolution of these cross-strait issues, [and] reiterating our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion."
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it had tracked 19 Chinese navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island in a 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The drills come just two weeks after a large-scale exercise in mid-March, when Beijing sent a large number of drones and ships toward the island.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently visited the region, vowing to enhance the U.S. military alliance with Japan and Philippines to counter Chinese aggression, the Hill reported.
Faced with the rising threat from China, Taiwan has ordered new missiles, aircraft, and other armaments from the U.S., while revitalizing its own defense industry.
"China's blatant military provocations not only threaten peace in the #Taiwan Strait but also undermine security in the entire region, as evidenced by drills near Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, & the SCS," Taiwan's Presidential Office said on X. "We strongly condemn China's escalatory behavior."
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
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