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US condemns China's 'provocative' military drills in Taiwan Strait

US condemns Chinas provocative military drills in Taiwan Strait
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Washington DC: The United States has condemned China's "provocative" military drills around Taiwan and described it as an "irresponsible" action that is at odds with the longstanding goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region.

The Chinese military on Thursday launched a four-day war game and held "precision missile strikes" in the Taiwan Strait in retaliation to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's landmark visit to Taipei disregarding Beijing's stern warning to Washington against supporting "Taiwan independence".

China views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite having never controlled it and has long vowed to reunify the island with the Chinese mainland, by force if necessary. Overnight, the People's Republic of China launched an estimated 11 ballistic missiles towards Taiwan, which impacted to the northeast, the east, and southeast of the island," John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, told reporters here on Thursday. "We condemn these actions, which are irresponsible and at odds with our longstanding goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region, he said. China has chosen to overreact and use the visit of Pelosi as a pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait, Kirby said. The United States, he noted, had anticipated that China might take steps like these. We also expect that these actions will continue and that the Chinese will continue to react in the coming days.

The United States is prepared for what Beijing chooses to do. We will not seek, nor do we want, a crisis, Kirby said.

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