AIT says PLA activity not a response to Lai's U.S. stopovers

Taipei, Dec. 12 (CNA) The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Thursday said it did not view increased activity by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) near Taiwan this week as a response to President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) recent stopovers in the United States.

"The elevated activity in the East China Sea and South China Sea follows a broader increase in the PLA's military posture and military exercises over the last several years. With that said, we do not see this wider activity as a response to President Lai's transit," an AIT spokesperson told CNA.

"We [the U.S.] continue to call on the PRC to avoid any destabilizing or escalatory actions that might undermine regional peace and stability and will continue coordinating with allies and partners regarding our shared concerns," the spokesperson said.

The de-facto American embassy made the statement when asked about the seven areas east of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces that China designated from Monday to Wednesday this week as "temporary reserved areas" of airspace, which typically indicate airspace reserved for specific military activities.

Foreign wire reports have speculated that the increasing PLA activities could mean another round of military exercises in response to President Lai's trip to the South Pacific Nov. 30-Dec. 6, which included stopovers in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam.

The AIT said although Beijing has not announced a "Joint Sword" military exercise in response to President Lai's transit, China's elevated military activity in the region were consistent with levels the U.S. has seen during other large exercises.

Meanwhile, Germany's Federal Foreign Office spokesperson Sebastian Fischer on Wednesday said the country was concerned about reports of increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan.

In a Facebook post, the German Institute Taipei on Thursday said Germany was monitoring the situation, adding that stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea were of strategic importance to regional and global security and prosperity, including Europe.