Since the departure of Nancy Pelosi, leader of the US deputies, from Taiwan, China has begun major military exercises and firing ballistic missiles around the island. “We condemn these irresponsible actions,” John Kirby, White House spokesman for strategic affairs, said Thursday.

“China has chosen to overreact and use the speaker’s visit as a pretext to increase provocative military activity” in the Taiwan island region.

“We anticipate these events and believe that they will continue in the coming days,” laments the US official.

“We don’t want a crisis”

On the Taiwan issue, Beijing “wants to change the status quo”, denounces John Kirby, underlining an increase in military activity in the region in recent years.

Nancy Pelosi’s move, taken as part of an Asian tour, is seen by China as a provocation, support for supporters of Taiwan independence and a breach of the US promise not to have official relations with the island. “We do not support Taiwan independence,” John Kirby recalled Thursday.

“We do not want a crisis” between Washington and Beijing, he insists. However, the United States will not stop operating in the Pacific. Therefore, the USS Reagan aircraft carrier will continue to “monitor” the surroundings of Taiwan.

ICBM test postponed

An escalation of tensions “would not be in our interests,” said the White House spokesman, thus justifying the postponement of a US intercontinental missile test scheduled for this weekend. “The test will take place,” says John Kirby, without revealing the new release date.

Communication between Beijing and Washington is “maintained”. Asked about a possible phone call between Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, John Kirby indicates that the US president “is not afraid to pick up his phone and call, he has already done so,” launches John Kirby.

If Joe Biden “thinks that would be the appropriate way to respond or that it would have a (positive) effect on the situation, he will surely do so,” says the White House spokesman.