US urges 'restraint' as China launches Taiwan military drills

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."

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

I am the Speaker of the House. There is no place that China is going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to. pic.twitter.com/9N37s6jr8D

- Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) April 8, 2023

China had initially appeared to have a more muted response than in August when McCarthy's predecessor Nancy Pelosi flew to Taiwan.

McCarthy - whose meeting with Tsai in his home state had been seen as an attempt by Taiwan to avoid the more serious repercussions from China if he had visited - voiced defiance after the launch of the military drills.

"I am the Speaker of the House. There is no place that China is going to tell me where I can go or who I can speak to," McCarthy wrote on Twitter.

Mike Gallagher, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China. Photo: Getty Images / TNS alt=Mike Gallagher, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China. Photo: Getty Images / TNS>

Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said on Saturday the US must take seriously the threat posed to Taiwan.

Gallagher, who attended the meeting with Tsai in California last week, said he plans to lead his committee in working to shore up the island government's defences, encouraging congress to expedite military aid to Taiwan.

"I think it all just points to what is obvious," Gallagher told Associated Press, arguing that Chinese President Xi Jinping is intent on reunifying Taiwan with the mainland.

"We need to be moving heaven and earth to enhance our deterrence and denial posture, so that Xi Jinping concludes that he just can't do it," Gallagher said.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.