China seeks to alter status quo in Taiwan Strait: US State Dept

Washington [US], August 16 (ANI): The US Department of State on Monday (local time) said that China wants to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
In a media briefing, Ned Price, spokesperson of US Department of State said, “Well, it’s been clear for some time that there is one side, there is one party that seeks to change the status quo, the cross-strait status quo that has been at the center of stability and security across the Taiwan Strait for some 40 years now.”
The statement comes after the latest US congressional delegation visit to Taiwan led by Senator Edward Markey who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia, Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Subcommittee. It came just days after a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that infuriated China.
“It is not the United States. It is not Taiwan. It is the PRC that is challenging the status quo, that is seeking to erode the status quo, and then even with its recent provocative and totally unnecessary response to the congressional delegation that visited Taiwan earlier this month has again demonstrated that – its willingness to challenge that status quo,” said Price.
He further said that US lawmakers’ visits to Taiwan are in line with Washington’s long-standing and bipartisan policy.
“Members of Congress, congressional delegations, have gone to Taiwan for decades and they will continue to do so. Some 10 or more congressional delegations have visited Taiwan this year alone. Members of Congress visiting Taiwan is entirely in line with our one – our longstanding “one China” policy. In the face of that – and this goes back to what we saw earlier this month – the PRC has entirely overreacted,” said the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, China’s military said it carried out more exercises near Taiwan’s Penghu islands as a group of US congressional members met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
Responding to Chinese threats in the region, Price underscored that US will not be deterred from flying, from sailing, from operating in the region in accordance with international law.
“Our response to the PRC’s provocations has been measured, has been responsible. We made clear that we did not intend to escalate and that there was no reason for a crisis, but we also made clear – and you heard this from the White House on Friday – that we won’t be deterred from flying, from sailing, from operating in the region in accordance with international law. And that’s why President Biden directed, as you heard on Friday, the USS Ronald Reagan to remain on station longer and announced that additional steps would be forthcoming in our support for Taiwan,” said Price.
Answering on the long-term and short-term impact of Speaker Pelosi’s visit on security in East Asia, he said, “Our concern has consistently been that even as we seek to preserve the cross-strait status quo and countries in the Indo-Pacific seek to do the same, it is China that is seeking to alter, to water down that status quo and to rewrite it unilaterally in its favor. That is something that we have consistently stood against. Everything we have done has been pursuant to our interest in security and stability, pursuant to our “one China” policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances. What we have seen from the PRC is deeply concerning because rather than preserve the status quo, China seeks to undermine it.” (ANI)