US, Australia & Japan Urge China To Seize Military Exercises in Taiwan Strait

Meanwhile Taiwan claimed that several Chinese planes and ships crossed the median line on Friday.

A boat moves through the water on Friday, 5 August, along the closest point in mainland China to the island of Taiwan.

(Photo: PTI)

A joint statement issued by the United States (US), Australia, and Japan on Friday, 5 August, urged China "to immediately cease" their military exercises in the Taiwan strait.

This comes after a meeting between the foreign ministers of the three countries on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Cambodia's Phnom Penh.

The statement said that the countries condemned China's "launch of ballistic missiles, five of which the Japanese government reported landed in its exclusive economic zones, raising tension and destabilising the region."

Joint statement by the US, Japan, and Australia, urging China to seize their military exercises. 

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

China had launched unprecedented military exercises in the Taiwan strait after US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei and conducted a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai ing-wen despite vehement opposition from China.

"The Secretary and the Foreign Ministers expressed their concern about the People's Republic of China's (PRC) recent actions that gravely affect international peace and stability, including the use of large-scale military exercises," the statement by the three countries added.

'Several Chinese Planes & Ships Crossed Median Line': Taiwan

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of Defence said that multiple ships and planes of the People's Liberation Army (the official name of the Chinese military) once again crossed the median line on Friday.

The median line of the Taiwan Strait, separating Mainland China from the island of Taiwan, was demarcated by then US Air Force General Benjamin Davis Junior in 1955.

The ministry called the military exercises highly provocative, regardless of "whether it was launching ballistic missiles or deliberately crossing the median line of the strait."

"Adhering to the principle of preparing for war and not seeking war, the national army will work together to firmly defend the sovereignty and national security," the ministry statement added.

Pelosi, on the other hand, said that China would not be allowed to isolate Taiwan by preventing American officials from visiting the island.

She added that her visit was "not about changing the status quo," but recognising that China "made their strikes probably using our visit as an excuse."