WASHINGTON, October 14. /TASS/. The United States authorities keep coordinating with its regional allies and partners the issue of China’s recently launched military drills near Taiwan, the US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Monday.

"The United States is seriously concerned by the People’s Liberation Army joint military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan," Miller said. "The PRC response with military provocations to a routine annual speech is unwarranted and risks escalation."

"We call on the PRC to act with restraint and to avoid any further actions that may undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, which is essential to regional peace and prosperity and a matter of international concern," Miller continued.

"We continue to monitor PRC activities and coordinate with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns," the statement said.

"The United States remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances," the US Department of State spokesperson added.

The Chinese Defense Ministry’s press office announced earlier in the day that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched ‘Joint Sword-2024B’ military drills near Taiwan.

"On October 14, the PLA Eastern Theater Command dispatched its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct joint military drills code-named ‘Joint Sword-2024B’ in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan Island," the statement said citing Senior Captain Li Xi, spokesperson of the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command.

Lai Qingde, the Taiwan administration's head, stated on October 10 that Taipei's efforts to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait are unchanged. The island will defend its "state sovereignty," he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning responded that "Taiwan has never been a country and will never become one, it has no kind of sovereignty at all."

On May 20, Taiwan held an inauguration ceremony for the island's new leader, Lai Ching-te. Three days later the PLA Eastern Theater Command announced the start of the Joint Sword 2024A exercise around Taiwan, as well as near the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin. The exercise involved land, missile, naval and air forces.

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled there after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War.

Since then, the island has retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China that existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. Official Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China.