US Urges China to Halt Military Activity Near Taiwan and Resume Dialogue

The United States has demanded that china ease rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait by halting its military maneuvers near Taiwan and engaging in meaningful dialogue. The call comes amid renewed Chinese military exercises and strong rhetoric from Beijing, reinforcing its long-standing claim that Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory.

China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has consistently refused to renounce the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. This stance has remained unchanged despite repeated international appeals for restraint and peaceful resolution.

On Friday, the US State Department said that China’s recent military drills around Taiwan have unnecessarily escalated regional tensions. Washington urged Beijing to stop its sustained military pressure and instead pursue diplomatic engagement, following President Xi Jinping’s latest remarks reaffirming China’s goal of reunification with Taiwan.

“China’s military actions and rhetoric toward Taiwan and other countries in the region unnecessarily raise tensions,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. “We urge Beijing to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue.”

The US response followed two large-scale Chinese military exercises conducted near Taiwan earlier this week. Taiwanese authorities condemned the drills as an overt display of military intimidation, warning that such actions undermine regional stability.

China Reiterates Pledge to Reclaim Taiwan

China’s leadership has doubled down on its position that reunification with Taiwan is inevitable. In a New Year’s Eve address broadcast by state media, President Xi Jinping emphasized cultural and historical ties across the Taiwan Strait.

“We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship,” Xi said. He went on to declare that “the reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable.”

According to Chinese authorities, the recent drills involved dozens of fighter jets, naval vessels, and coastguard ships, along with missile launches. Beijing said the exercises were designed to simulate a blockade of key ports and the encirclement of Taiwan’s main island, underscoring its military preparedness.

Taiwan’s government strongly criticized the maneuvers, describing them as “highly provocative” and warning that they risk destabilizing the entire region. Taipei has repeatedly stressed that such actions threaten peace and security in East Asia.

Despite international concern, China continues to maintain that Taiwan is part of its sovereign territory and has consistently declined to rule out the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Washington Reaffirms Support for the Status Quo

The US State Department reiterated Washington’s long-standing policy of opposing any unilateral attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

“The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, including by force or coercion,” Pigott said.

While the US maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding direct military intervention, it has long supported Taiwan’s right to self-defense and continues to provide defensive military assistance to the island.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump struck a more measured tone, suggesting that China’s live-fire drills did not necessarily signal an imminent threat.

“My relationship with President Xi is excellent. He hasn’t discussed it with me,” Trump told reporters when asked about the exercises. Downplaying the likelihood of an invasion, he added, “I don’t believe he’s going to be doing it. They’ve been conducting naval exercises in that area for 20 years. Now people take it a little bit differently.”

Arms Deal Adds to Strained Relations

China’s latest show of military force followed the Trump administration’s approval of an $11 billion arms deal for Taiwan, a move that further strained relations between Washington and Beijing.

Chinese officials have repeatedly argued that US arms sales to Taiwan violate China’s sovereignty and encourage separatist sentiment on the island.

Since 2022, when then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan — a trip that angered Beijing — China has carried out at least six major rounds of military drills near the island. Those exercises marked a significant escalation in both scale and frequency.

The tempo of Chinese military operations in the Taiwan Strait has continued to increase since then, keeping tensions high and raising concerns among regional and global powers about the risk of miscalculation.