US, EU and other democracies slam mainland China for military drills around Taiwan, urge ‘restraint’

Call for preserving status quo goes out after Beijing launches exercises surrounding self-governed island following William Lai’s inauguration speech
Global group representing 250 lawmakers decries PLA drills as ‘affront to peace in the region and a direct challenge to the international community’

Taiwan

Mark Magnierin New York

Published: 6:30am, 24 May 2024

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The European Union as well as lawmakers from the US, Britain and other democracies criticised mainland China’s extensive military exercises around Taiwan on Thursday, warning that the drills threatened to destabilise the region and stoke cross-strait tension.

“The EU has a direct interest in the preservation of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,” the European body said in a statement. “We oppose any unilateral actions that change the status quo by force or coercion.”

“All parties should exercise restraint and avoid any actions that may further escalate cross-strait tensions, which should be resolved through dialogue.”

Beijing on Thursday launched military air-and-sea exercises around the self-governed island following Monday’s presidential inauguration of William Lai Ching-te from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Lai was elected in January.

Some 33 Chinese military aircraft, 15 naval vessels and 16 coastguard vessels were operating within Taiwan’s air-defence identification zone, the island’s defence ministry said in a statement.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, which directs activity in the vicinity of Taiwan, termed the drills “a powerful punishment for the separatist forces seeking ‘independence’ and a serious warning to external forces for interference and provocation”.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, representing 250 lawmakers from 35 lawmaking bodies including the US, Britain, Canada, France and other democracies, condemned “Beijing’s unprovoked and escalatory action towards Taiwan” as an “affront to peace in the region and a direct challenge to the international community.”

The Chinese consulate in New York countered that it was Lai’s inauguration speech that had been provocative.

“Hyping up ‘Taiwan independence’ will not change the fact that the one-China principle cannot be violated, separatist attempts for ‘Taiwan independence’ are doomed to fail and the general trend of China’s reunification is irreversible,” said the consulate’s spokesperson in a statement.

“Lai’s speech stubbornly followed the ‘Taiwan independence’ stance, wantonly advocated separatism, incited cross-strait confrontation and sought independence by relying on foreign support and by force.”

Beijing sees Taiwan as a part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. But Washington opposes any attempt to take the self-governed island by force.

The US is legally bound to support Taiwan’s military defence capability and has backed the island’s expanded presence in global health, crime prevention and aviation – objectives that Beijing opposes.

The PLA said the drills were designed to focus on naval-and-air combat readiness patrols, seizing battlefield control, precise strikes of crucial targets as well as warship and aircraft patrols near the island.

The aim was to “test the joint combat and real combat capabilities of the theatre forces”, it added.

While the two-day exercise has caught the world’s attention, it is shorter and less forceful than the almost-weeklong exercises, including the firing of missiles near and over Taiwan, that Beijing launched when then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August 2022.

“While Taiwan is celebrating its democracy, China’s disdain for their values is on full display,” said US senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services committee, on Thursday.

“I will continue to ensure that the US$2 billion in foreign military funds … is correctly spent to help our Taiwanese ally.”

Added the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance: “We call upon our governments, together with all of those committed to regional peace and stability, to loudly condemn these actions without delay, to reaffirm shared commitment to maintaining the status quo and to signal resolute willingness to resist the threat or use of force.”