39 Chinese Planes And 13 Ships Docked In Taiwan Strait, President Biden: I'm Worried, But Don't Think They'll Do More

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden is concerned about China's decision to extend military exercises around Taiwan, but said Beijing would not act more when Taipei detected Chinese planes and ships in the Taiwan Strait.

China announced new military exercises in the sea and air around Taiwan on Monday, a day after the end of the largest military exercise they have ever held, in protest against a visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week.

US President Joe Biden, in his first public comments on the matter since Pelosi's visit, said he was not worried about Taiwan, but worried about China's actions in the region.

"I'm afraid they're moving as much as they want. But I don't think they're going to do anything more than they're doing now," President Biden told reporters in Delaware.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later condemned the Chinese drills.

"We have condemned them since they started to escalate. They are provocative, irresponsible, and increase the risk of miscalculation. And that is what he, the president, meant," Jean-Pierre stressed.

Earlier, China's Eastern Theater Command said it would conduct joint drills focused on anti-submarine operations and naval attacks - confirming concerns by some security analysts and diplomats that Beijing would continue to put pressure on Taiwan's defences.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry condemned the move, saying China, which claims the self-governing island as its own, is deliberately creating a crisis. It demanded Beijing stop its military actions and "step back from the edge".

"In the face of military intimidation created by China, Taiwan will neither fear nor back down, and will more firmly defend its sovereignty, national security, and a free and democratic way of life," the ministry said in a statement.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said it had detected 39 Chinese air force aircraft and 13 naval vessels in and around the Taiwan Strait on Monday.

Twenty-one Chinese air force aircraft have entered Taiwan's air defense zone, including fighter jets that crossed the center line in the northern part of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said.