JAKARTA - The United States, through Foreign Minister Antony Blinken on Sunday local time, expressed concern about China's aggressive actions against Taiwan.
He also warned that anyone trying to change the status quo in the Western Pacific by force would be a serious mistake.
"What we have seen, and what is of real concern to us is, increasingly aggressive actions by the government in Beijing directed at Taiwan, increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait," Blinken said in an interview with NBC's 'Meet the Press', as reported by Reuters on Monday, April 12.
Beijing on Thursday last week blamed the United States for tensions, after a United States warship sailed near Taiwan.
The United States has a long-term commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act, to ensure Taiwan has the ability to defend itself and maintain peace and security in the Western Pacific, Blinken said.
Asked if the United States would respond militarily to China's actions in Taiwan, Antony Blinken declined to comment on the hypothesis.
"All I can say is, we have a serious commitment for Taiwan to defend itself. We have a serious commitment to peace and security in the Western Pacific," Blinken said.
"We support that commitment. And in that context, it would be a serious mistake for anyone to try to change that status quo by force," he said.
Taiwan has complained over the past few months about repeated missions by the Chinese air force near the island, which China claims as its own.
The White House on Friday said it would continue to monitor China's increased military activity in the Taiwan Strait, and called Beijing's actions potentially destabilizing.
Meanwhile, the United States State Department issued new guidelines that would allow United States officials to meet more freely with officials from Taiwan, a move that deepens ties with Taipei amid china's increased military activity around the island.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the new guidelines have followed a congressional-mandated review and will provide clarity across the Executive Branch on the effective implementation of the 'One China' policy
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