The US and the EU have reiterated their opposition to a unilateral change to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait after China’s military launched a new round of joint military drills around Taiwan on Tuesday that ended last night.
Asked about the latest military exercises in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US National Security Council on Tuesday briefed her on the exercises.
US 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,” Leavitt said.
Photo: AP
US Department of State spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told the Central News Agency that China’s aggressive military activities and rhetoric “only serve to exacerbate tensions, and put the region’s security and the world’s prosperity at risk.”
“The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, including through force or coercion,” she said.
The US’ “enduring commitment to our allies and partners, including Taiwan, continues,” she added.
Meanwhile, the EU diplomatic branch, the European External Action Service (EEAS), expressed its concern over the Chinese exercises, saying the drills were “increasing cross-strait tensions.”
“The EU has a direct interest in the preservation of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. We oppose any unilateral actions that change the status quo by force or coercion,” an unnamed EEAS spokesperson said.
“We call on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that may further escalate tensions, which should be resolved through cross-strait dialogue,” the EEAS spokesperson said.
Japan and German express concerns
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday that the government has conveyed its concern to Beijing over a Chinese military drill near Taiwan.
"Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are extremely important to the entire international community, including our country," the top government spokesman said in a press conference, adding that Tokyo will "take all possible measures for vigilance and surveillance activities" in light of increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan in recent years.
Germany’s foreign ministry on Wednesday strssed that the status of Taiwan must not be changed unless done via a peaceful agreement, when asked about China’s military drills off Taiwan’s coast.
"We have a direct interest in preserving the status quo in the Taiwan Strait ... It must not be changed unless in a peaceful way and based on mutual understanding," a ministry spokesperson said during a government press conference.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on Tuesday morning announced the beginning of a new round of joint exercises around Taiwan, featuring the army, navy, air and rocket forces to “close in” on the nation in “multiple directions.”
The exercises served as “a stern warning” to “Taiwanese independence” separatist forces, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said.
Major General Tung Chi-hsing (董冀星), director of the Ministry of National Defense’s joint operations planning division, said that the military has established an ad hoc emergency operations center and deployed military aircraft, vessels and coastal missile systems.
The military was also conducting patrols and monitoring Chinese troops, Tung said.
The PLA last night announced that the drills had concluded.
As the drills entered their second day yesterday, the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command said it was conducting a “Strait Thunder-2025A” drill in parts of the Taiwan Strait.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
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A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
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