US demands China end military, economic pressure on Taiwan, engage in talks

The United States has urged China to end its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

"We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected leadership," Price said during a briefing on Tuesday (local time).

He added, "We will counter China's aggressive and coercive actions, sustain our key military advantages, defend democratic values, invest in advanced technologies, and restore our vital security partnerships."

Price said that Washington sees its alliances and partnerships as a force multiplier across any range of challenges including the downward spiralling relationship with Beijing.

The State Department spokesperson added, "we want to make sure that we are in lockstep with those allies, in lockstep with those partners, and then you can expect that there will be engagement in several areas with China."

According to South China Morning Post, foreign policy leaders and professionals in the United States support the use of American troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, but it is opposed by the majority of the US public, a new survey has found.

In a report published on Monday, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs said that most of the more than 900 surveyed opinion leaders - including executive branch officials, congressional staff, think tank scholars, academics, journalists and interest group representatives - favoured a US military defence of Taiwan in an invasion scenario.

These remarks from the State Department come as the United States and Taiwan strengthen their ties, China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war.

Wu Qian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defence, on January 28 "warned" the people wanting "Taiwan independence" and said that "those who play with fire will set themselves on fire, and seeking 'Taiwan independence' means nothing but war".

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing.