Trump Administration Issues First Statement After End of China’s Taiwan Encirclement Drills
"Opposes Unilateral Changes to the Status Quo by Force or Coercion"
The U.S. government has stated, regarding China’s recent “Taiwan encirclement drills,” that “We urge China to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure on Taiwan, and engage in meaningful dialogue.” With the Donald Trump administration publicly criticizing China’s military actions, tensions between the two countries are once again on the rise.
Donald Trump, President of the United States (left), and Xi Jinping, President of China. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
On the 1st (local time), the U.S. State Department, in a statement issued by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, said, “China’s military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan and other countries in the region are unnecessarily heightening tensions.” The statement continued, “The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes any unilateral change to the status quo by force or coercion.”
This is the first time the Trump administration has issued an official position regarding China’s Taiwan encirclement drills.
From December 29 to 31, the People’s Liberation Army of China mobilized army, navy, air force, and rocket force units to conduct live-fire drills encircling Taiwan. During these exercises, China deployed a large number of warships and military aircraft, surrounding nearly all sides of Taiwan. This has been assessed as the most extensive and threatening drill conducted so far.
Analysts suggest that this move was in response to the recent U.S. approval of a plan to sell weapons to Taiwan worth $11.1054 billion (about 16 trillion won), the largest ever, and was intended to send a warning message to both the United States and Taiwan. After the drills concluded, Li Xi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army, stated, “We will resolutely thwart attempts by ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interference, and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Previously, on December 29, President Trump was asked about the Chinese military’s Taiwan encirclement drills during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He responded, “Nothing worries me. China has conducted naval exercises in that region for 20 years,” and added, “In fact, there were much larger drills in the past.”
Following the large-scale U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, China conducted the encirclement drills, and with the Trump administration’s public criticism, tensions between the two countries are once again escalating. Observers note that this atmosphere could become a burden ahead of this year’s U.S.-China summit diplomacy, including President Trump’s planned visit to China in April.
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