Biden administration urges China to stop military drills occurring near Taiwan

The Biden administration is putting pressure on China to halt its military drills that are taking place in the Taiwan Strait.

“The United States is deeply concerned over the People’s Liberation Army joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Saturday in a statement. “We are monitoring [People’s Republic of China] activities closely and coordinating with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns.”

Miller urged Beijing to "act with restraint" and to start doing normal military drills and not to provoke risks. 

“Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes long standing 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,” he said.

Beijing recently accused Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te of increasing tensions due to his recent inaugural address, according to The Hill.  

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense stated that the drills were “jeopardizing peace and stability.”

“We seek no conflicts, but we will not shy away from one. We have the confidence to safeguard our national security,” the ministry wrote on social media platform X.