Statement From Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on People's Liberation Army Military Drills Near TaiwanReadout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call[...]

We have closely monitored the People's Liberation Army (PLA) exercise, JOINT SWORD 2024B, around Taiwan. This military pressure operation is irresponsible, disproportionate, and destabilizing. As the White House noted last week, it is a long-standing tradition for Taiwan's president to deliver remarks on 10/10. It is a routine, domestic-focused address that has historically prompted little response from the PRC. Still, the PRC has chosen this opportunity to take provocative, military action.

Deterrence remains strong in the Indo-Pacific, and the Department remains confident in its current force posture and operations in the region. The entire world has a stake in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and we continue to see a growing community of countries committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We will continue to work with allies and partners to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, despite the PRC's destabilizing behavior. The United States remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances.