US ‘very concerned’ about China’s ‘provocative military activity near Taiwan’

The State Department said on Sunday that the U.S. is “very concerned” about China’s “provocative military activity near Taiwan” following Beijing’s most recent show of air power near the self-governing island.

“The United States is very concerned by the People’s Republic of China’s provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability. We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

On Friday, China flew 38 military aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, believed to be Beijing’s largest military provocation seen yet.

On Saturday, it sent 30 warplanes toward Taiwan.

Since the beginning of the year, China has continuously flown military aircrafts into Taiwanese airspace as part of its ramped-up efforts to strengthen its territorial claim over the island. 

“China has been wantonly engaged in military aggression, damaging regional peace,” said Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang on Saturday.

“We have an abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability, and we will maintain our commitments as outlined in the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances,” Price said in the latest statement.

“The U.S. commitment to Taiwan is rock solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region,” he added. “We will continue to stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values and deepen our ties with democratic Taiwan.”

In the summer, the Group of Seven (G-7) countries called for the “status quo” in the region to be preserved.

“We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions,” the G-7 said in a joint statement.