US urges ‘restraint’ as China launches Taiwan military drills

China announced the military drills as a ‘stern warning’ to Taiwan whose president, Tsai Ing-wen, met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday

The United States has been ambiguous on whether it would militarily defend Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy claimed by Beijing

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A Chinese warship fires towards the shore during a military drill near Fuzhou, Fujian Province on Saturday near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands, close to the Chinese coast. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:47am, 9 Apr 2023Updated: 5:29am, 9 Apr 2023

The United States on Saturday called on China to show restraint as Beijing launched military drills around Taiwan, stressing that Washington was ready to meet its security commitments in Asia.

“Our channels of communication with the PRC remain open and we have consistently urged restraint and no change to the status quo,” a State Department spokesperson said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

“We are comfortable and confident that we have in place sufficient resources and capabilities in the region to ensure peace and stability and to meet our national security commitments,” the spokesperson said, adding that the United States was “monitoring Beijing’s actions closely.”

US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy greets Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images / TNS

The US has been ambiguous on whether it would militarily defend Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy claimed by Beijing, although for decades it has sold weapons to Taipei to help ensure its self-defence.

The United States has treaty-bound commitments to defend nearby allies in the region, notably Japan, whose waters were affected when China last carried out military exercises around Taiwan in August.

China announced the military drills as a “stern warning” to Taiwan whose president, Tsai Ing-wen, met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday in California.

US officials had repeatedly called on China to stay calm and described Tsai’s visit as a routine “transit” on her way to and from Latin America.

“As we have said, there is no reason for Beijing to turn this transit - which was consistent with longstanding US practice and policy - into something it is not or use it as pretext to overreact,” the State Department spokesperson said on Saturday.