TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China against making any provocative actions against Taiwan on Friday (Oct. 11), the day after President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) address on Taiwan’s national resilience.  

Blinken was speaking at the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos the day after Lai said that China cannot represent Taiwan and that he would “resist annexation.” Blinken warned China against using any of Lai’s remarks as a “pretext for provocative actions,” reported AFP. 

Blinken insisted on the importance of maintaining the status quo and urged China not to disrupt the global economy by pursuing conflict with Taiwan.

Even before Lai’s speech on Thursday (Oct. 10), it was thought that Beijing might launch a series of military drills around Taiwan in response. Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) preemptively urged Beijing to show restraint earlier in the week.

While China did not begin any large-scale military exercises on Friday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did announce new sanctions on three US arms companies and 10 defense industry CEOs for providing weapons to Taiwan.