 "Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong is seen in this screenshot taken from a video released by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday. Reuters")
The Trump administration on Tuesday warned China after Beijing announced joint military exercises around Taiwan involving its army, navy, air force, and rocket force, with the White House reiterating its opposition to any unilateral efforts to change the status quo through force or coercion.
“The National Security Council briefed me on this this morning, and they said that the president is emphasising the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, encouraging the peaceful resolution of these cross-strait issues, reiterating our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” CNN quoted White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as telling reporters during Tuesday’s press briefing.
“That is directly from the national security adviser,” she added.
Earlier on Tuesday, CNN reported China’s recent military exercises have heightened concerns in Taiwan, especially as President Trump reshapes Washington’s global relationships with his “America First” foreign policy.
This approach has led to the abandonment of long-standing commitments to Europe and has pressured Asian allies to contribute more for US protection.
China conducted military drills off the north, south, and east coasts of Taiwan on Tuesday, issuing a “stern warning” against separatism and labeling Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te a “parasite.” In response, Taiwan deployed warships as China’s navy approached its shores.
These exercises, which China has not officially named, follow increased Chinese rhetoric against Lai and come after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to Asia, where he criticised Beijing.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHegseth pledged to strengthen military ties with the Philippines to “reestablish deterrence” against “China’s aggression” in the Indo-Pacific.
He referred to Japan as an “indispensable partner” in countering Chinese military threats, including in the Taiwan Strait.
China’s military utilised ships, aircraft, and artillery to practice blockading the island, conducting strikes on ground and maritime targets, and performing air interception maneuvers to “test forces’ coordination in combat,” Reuters quoted a statement from Beijing’s Eastern Theatre Command.
Last May, shortly after Lai’s inauguration, Chinese forces held war games simulating control over areas west of the so-called first island chain and conducted live-fire missile exercises.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has labeled Lai a “separatist.”
In a video accompanying its announcement, the Eastern Theatre Command referred to him as a “parasite” in English, depicting him as a green bug held by chopsticks over a burning Taiwan.
Taiwan’s government condemned the drills, stating that China is “widely recognised by the international community as a troublemaker” and affirming Taiwan’s confidence and ability to defend itself.
According to Reuters, citing two senior Taiwan officials, more than 10 Chinese military ships had approached close to Taiwan’s 24-nautical-mile (44 km) contiguous zone and Taiwan sent its own warships to respond.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had not detected any live fire by the Chinese military, but that at least 71 Chinese military aircraft and 13 navy ships were involved. It said it did not know when the drills would end.
Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang said Taiwan’s armed forces had elevated their readiness level to ensure that China does not “turn drills into combat” and “launch a sudden attack on us”.
China’s foreign ministry said the drills “are legitimate and necessary actions to defend national sovereignty and safeguard national unity”.
“China’s reunification is an unstoppable trend - it will happen and it must happen,” Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson, said at a regular news conference on Tuesday.
With inputs from agencies