TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The White House on Monday (Dec. 26) condemned the deployment of 71 Chinese military aircraft and seven warships around Taiwan on Christmas Day.

An official from the White House National Security Council was cited by AP on Monday as saying that China's military actions around Taiwan are “destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability.” The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the U.S. has an "abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

The official added that the U.S. will "continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability in line with our long-standing commitments and consistent with our one-China policy.”

The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) announced on Sunday (Dec. 25) it had organized "joint combat readiness patrols and joint firepower strike drills of all armed forces in the sea and airspace around Taiwan." It claimed that the drills were conducted as a "resolute response to the current U.S.-Taiwan escalation and provocation."

The MND said that as of 6 a.m. on Monday (Dec. 26), 71 PLA military aircraft and seven naval vessels were tracked around Taiwan, a record number for a 24-hour period. Meanwhile, 47 PLA aircraft were monitored crossing the Taiwan Strait median line or in the country's air defense identification zone.

China's sudden escalation comes shortly after President Joe Biden's signature of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which calls for US$2 billion (NT$61.4 billion) in loan assistance for Taiwan to purchase U.S. weapons and defense equipment on Friday (Dec. 23). The act also authorizes the creation of a stockpile of US$100 million worth of munitions, calls for the expedition of arms purchase requests, and urges the Pentagon to include Taiwan in the 2024 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) joint exercises.