TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. Department of State called on China to end its pressure tactics against Taiwan as Beijing denied the existence of the median line.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense recently denied the existence of the Taiwan Strait median line. On Tuesday (March 5), the U.S. State Department said Beijing continues to take provocative actions to unilaterally change the current situation in the Taiwan Strait, and the U.S. urged China to cease pressuring Taiwan and engage in meaningful dialogue with the country.
During a Feb. 29 press conference, a reporter asked Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang (張曉剛) to comment on U.S. media reports that China has increased military pressure by deploying warships and aircraft around Taiwan almost every day and that Chinese military aircraft often cross the Taiwan Strait median line. Zhang claimed there is only one China and Taiwan is "an integral part of China's territory, therefore "there is no so-called Taiwan Strait median line."
An unnamed U.S. State Department spokesperson responded to a CNA inquiry on the matter on March 5. The spokesperson said the State Department acknowledged the Chinese comments and reiterated the U.S. position.
The spokesperson emphasized that the U.S. continues to call for restraint and maintaining the status quo, which has ensured peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the entire Asia-Pacific region for decades. This is not only in the long-term interest of the U.S. but also a matter of global concern, said the spokesperson.
"We urge Beijing to stop exerting military, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Taiwan and engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan," said the spokesperson, adding that this is consistent with Washington's long-standing "one-China" policy and emphasized the need to resolve differences peacefully.
In response to Zhang's remarks, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said on March 1 that the Taiwan Strait median line is a tacit understanding, and both sides have adhered to this understanding for many years, reported TVBS. If the median line is not recognized then there is no buffer zone, potentially increasing pressure in the region, and should be carefully considered from multiple perspectives, Chiu said.