U.S. Urges Beijing to Exercise Restraint Following Military Drills Near Taiwan

Washington: The United States has called on Beijing to reduce its military pressure on Taiwan after the recent live-fire drills conducted around the island earlier this week. Tommy Pigott, the U.S. State Department's principal deputy spokesperson, emphasized in a statement that China's military activities and rhetoric in the region are heightening tensions unnecessarily. Pigott urged Beijing to exercise restraint and cease its military pressure against Taiwan, advocating for meaningful dialogue instead. He reiterated the United States' support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and its opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo. According to Focus Taiwan, several other countries, including the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, have also expressed concern over the latest drills by the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The PLA conducted the "Justice Mission-2025" military exercises from Monday to Tuesday in five maritime zones and airspace around Taiwan, describing it as a stern warning to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported that on the second day of the drills, the PLA fired 27 rockets, with 10 landing in waters within Taiwan's 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone, marking the closest Chinese live-fire activity to Taiwan to date. Additionally, countries like Lithuania, Australia, and New Zealand have joined the international outcry over China's military actions.