I don’t think they’re going to do anything more: Biden on Chinese military drills near Taiwan

Days after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, President Joe Biden, for the first time remarked about the Chinese military exercise surrounding the island nation.

Stating that he wasn't worried about China, Biden said, "I'm not worried but I'm concerned that they are moving as much as they are. But I don't think they're going to do anything more than they are."

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When pressed by a reporter if Pelosi's trip to Taiwan was a mistake, Biden asserted, “...that was her decision”.

Building upon President Biden's statement, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added, “We’ve been condemning them since they started escalating. They are provocative, irresponsible and raise the risk of miscalculation. And that’s what he – the president – was referring to.”

Biden's statements come in the backdrop of Pelosi's visit as well as his telephonic call with the Chinese President Xi Jinping last month. During the call, Jinping made it clear that Taiwan belonged to China.

''The fact and status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and same China.'' Xi reportedly told Biden.

Not allowing any room for “Taiwan independence” forces, Xi said China firmly opposed separatist moves toward it.

"On Taiwan, President Biden underscored that the United States policy has not changed and that the United States strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," according to the White House.

Read more:'Those who play with fire will perish by it': Xi Jinping warns Joe Biden over Taiwan

However, despite the call and Jinping's passive aggressive threat, Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan and set the chain of motions which has kept the region in constant turmoil since.

As reported extensively by WION, China concluded its four-day extensive military exercise near Taiwan on Sunday. The military drills, which took place in six zones around the island, began on Thursday.

It deployed more than 100 fighter jets, fired ballistic missiles and dispatched dozens of warships for the drill, the largest such exercise to be held around Taiwan.

“After completing the mock strike mission, several bomber formations flew across the Taiwan Strait from north to south and from south to north simultaneously, carrying out a deterrence mission around the island jointly with other PLA services and branches,” said Global Times, the Chinese mouthpiece.

However, on Monday, a day after the end of drills, China announced that more such military drills were in the pipeline, including anti-submarine and sea assault operations.

According to experts, Beijing wants to continue to mount pressure on Taiwan and the international community. The visit by Pelosi undermined Jinping's 'One-China policy' and since then, Beijing has upped the ante.

(With inputs from agencies)

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