Joe Biden ‘concerned’ over China’s Taiwan drills but doesn’t think Beijing will escalate
- In his first public comments on the issue since Pelosi’s visit, the US president says he is ‘not worried’, and the Speaker’s trip ‘was her decision’
- Following earlier large-scale exercises, China is conducting anti-submarine and sea assault operations in the area, maintaining pressure on Taiwan’s defences
US President Joe Biden expressed confidence on Monday that China would not escalate tensions further with Taiwan after a series of military exercises that shook the region.
“I’m not worried, but I’m concerned that they’re moving as much as they are,” Biden said, in his first public comments on the issue since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island last week.
“But I don’t think they’re going to do anything more.”
The president refused to fault Pelosi’s visit for setting off tensions with Beijing, telling a reporter who asked if her trip was a mistake, “that was her decision”.
02:48
Mainland China military exercises continue around Taiwan beyond announced deadline
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later condemned China’s drills.
“We’ve been condemning them since they started escalating,” Jean-Pierre said. “They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation. And that’s what he – the president – was referring to.”
Pelosi’s visit infuriated China, which responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time, as well as by ditching some lines of dialogue with Washington, including theatre military talks and on climate change.
China announced new military drills around Taiwan on Monday, a day after the scheduled end of Beijing’s largest exercises to protest Pelosi’s visit.
Beijing carries out anti-submarine, sea assault drills around Taiwan
China’s Eastern Theatre Command said it would conduct joint drills focusing on anti-submarine and sea assault operations – confirming the fears of some security analysts and diplomats that Beijing would keep pressure on Taiwan’s defences.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry condemned the move, saying China, which claims the self-ruled island as its own, was deliberately creating crises. It demanded Beijing stop its military actions and “pull back from the edge”.
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Why mainland China is holding military drills in Taiwan Strait following US Speaker Pelosi’s trip
“In the face of military intimidation created by China, Taiwan will not be afraid nor back down, and will more firmly defend its sovereignty, national security, and free and democratic way of life,” the ministry said in a statement.
The duration and precise location of the latest drills is not yet known, but Taiwan has already eased flight restrictions near the six earlier Chinese exercise areas surrounding the island.
Bloomberg and Reuters
