The Biden administration said Saturday that U.S. officials are “deeply concerned” about the extensive military drills in the Taiwan Strait, putting pressure on China to “act with restraint.”

“The United States is deeply concerned over the People’s Liberation Army joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan,” a Saturday statement from State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reads. “We are monitoring [People’s Republic of China] activities closely and coordinating with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns.”

“We strongly urge Beijing to act with restraint,” Miller continued. “Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes longstanding norms that for decades have maintained peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is critical for regional and global security and prosperity and a matter of international concern.”

China started new military exercises near Taiwan only a few days after it swore in its new pro-U.S. leader.

Beijing, which accused President William Lai Ching-te of heightening tensions in his inaugural address, ran the drills — code-named Joint Sword 2024A — from Thursday until Friday, according to state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua.

While the U.S. has been seen as a major ally to Taiwan, it does not recognize the island as a separate state from the mainland. President Biden and the White House have emphasized their commitment to the One China policy.

“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,” Miller continued in the statement.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said earlier this week that the exercises were “jeopardizing peace and stability.”

“We seek no conflicts, but we will not shy away from one. We have the confidence to safeguard our national security,” the ministry wrote on social media platform X.

In his inauguration speech, Lai Ching-te said Taiwan “is a sovereign, independent nation in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people.”

“The future of cross-strait relations will have a decisive impact on the world,” he added. “This means that we, who have inherited a democratic Taiwan, are pilots for peace. Our government will uphold the Four Commitments, neither yield nor provoke, and maintain the status quo.”

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Biden admin urges China to show 'restraint' in Taiwan as former Navy captain warns CCP 'preparing for war'

The Biden administration is warning China to "act with restraint" after the CCP-controlled Chinese military ran provocative military drills near Taiwan on Friday.

Dozens of Chinese navy vessels and warplanes were spotted off the coast of Taiwan on Friday, according to Taiwanese military officials. 49 Chinese warplanes and 19 navy vessels were counted in total.

Taiwanese officials reported that 35 of the Chinese planes flew across the median line in the Taiwan Strait, which is considered the de-facto boundary between the two countries.

In a statement published on Saturday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the U.S. is "deeply concerned" over the military drills.

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"We are monitoring PRC activities closely and coordinating with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns," the statement read. "We strongly urge Beijing to act with restraint."

"Using a normal, routine, and democratic transition as an excuse for military provocations risks escalation and erodes longstanding norms that for decades have maintained peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is critical for regional and global security and prosperity and a matter of international concern," Miller added.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin blasted the U.S.'s previous calls for restraint in response to past military drills.

"[The U.S.] is in no position to make such irresponsible remarks," Wang was quoted as saying.

The drills come as tensions continue to intensify in the region. Former Taiwanese navy captain Lu Li Shih told Sky News that China is "preparing for war."

"China is preparing for war based on the number of military ships and the hiring of new recruits. It's all for self-defense, and Taiwan," the former captian said.

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