US 'strongly' urges China restraint amid Taiwan drills

Washington: The United States strongly urged China to show restraint Thursday after it launched military drills around Taiwan following the inaugura...

Washington: The United States "strongly" urged China to show restraint Thursday after it launched military drills around Taiwan following the inauguration of a new president, describing Beijing's actions as "reckless".

Washington had "noted with concern" and was "closely monitoring" the drills that China said were punishment for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's inauguration speech, a senior US official said.

"We strongly urge Beijing to act with restraint," the Biden administration official said, warning China not to use Taiwan's political transition as a "pretext or excuse for provocative or coercive measures."

China's actions were "reckless, risk escalation, and erode longstanding norms that have maintained regional peace and stability for decades," the official added.

The United States, which recently approved billions in military aid for Taipei, was "confident in our current force posture" in the region.