US ‘Deeply Concerned’ With China’s Military Drills in Taiwan Strait

China ended two days of war games around Taiwan in which it simulated attacks with bombers and practiced boarding ships.

Taiwan Air Force F-16 jet fighters fly during a patrolling mission at an undisclosed location in Taiwan in this handout image taken on May 23, 2024. Taiwan Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters

The U.S. State Department on Saturday condemned China’s military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan as provocative, saying that the United States is “deeply concerned” while “strongly” urging Beijing to act with restraint.

“Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes longstanding norms that for decades have maintained peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the State Department said in a statement on May 25.