Trump Administration Issues New Warning to China Over Taiwan

Source: Newsweek

Published Jan 01, 2026 at 03:01 PM EST updated Jan 01, 2026 at 04:12 PM EST


The Trump administration on Thursday warned China to halt military pressure on Taiwan, saying Beijing’s actions and rhetoric are raising tensions unnecessarily in the region. The State Department urged China in a New Year's Day statement to “exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue.

“China’s military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan and others in the region increase tensions unnecessarily. We urge Beijing to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Thursday. “The United States supports peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo, including by force or coercion," he added.

Why It Matters

The drills reflect Beijing’s increasingly assertive military posture toward Taiwan. China claims the island as its territory, despite the Chinese Communist Party never having ruled it. After losing the civil war, the Chinese Nationalist government fled to Taiwan, which now operates as a sovereign state with its own elected government, diplomatic relations, and military.

What To Know

The administration’s statement came after approving an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, one of the largest in recent years. The deal includes missile systems, naval platforms, and radar upgrades intended to bolster the island’s defenses. Beijing responded with its sixth round of large-scale military drills since 2022, simulating a blockade of Taiwan’s key ports under the codename “Justice Mission 2025.” China deployed fighter jets, naval ships, and coast guard vessels around the island and fired 27 rockets from its eastern coast. Taiwanese military officials said some landed closer to the main island than ever before.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/us-warns-china-over-taiwan-military-pressure-11294824