Lithuania, Australia, New Zealand join outpouring of concern over China's drills

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) Lithuania, Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday joined the many countries around the world that have voiced concerns over China's latest live-fire military drills around Taiwan, and they urged restraint to avoid escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said China's recent military exercises "escalate cross-Strait tensions and threaten international peace and security."

"The Taiwan Strait remains strategically important for regional and global security," the ministry said. "Lithuania urges restraint from displays of force and unilateral actions that could alter the status quo."

It said that bilateral differences must be addressed "through peaceful dialogue, in line with international law."

The Baltic state is one of several countries that have expressed worry about the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) live-fire exercises around Taiwan earlier this week, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, as well as the European Union.

• EU, UK, Philippines express concern over China's latest drills

On Wednesday, Australia and New Zealand also made statements on the issue, expressing similar concerns.

"Australia strongly opposes any actions that increase the risk of accident, miscalculation or escalation," the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

It also said that Australian officials have raised concerns with their Chinese counterparts over the issue.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a post on X that Wellington is calling for the "peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues through de-escalation and dialogue, and for the avoidance of actions that may undermine peace and stability."

In response, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) has expressed gratitude to all of Taiwan's partners around the world for voicing their concerns, his ministry said Thursday.

Lin thanked Lithuania and like-minded countries around the globe for "once again demonstrating support for peace and security across the Taiwan Strait and for articulating a clear position on maintaining a stable status quo across the Taiwan Strait," his ministry said.

Taiwan appreciates the close attention being paid by many countries to the Taiwan Strait situation, it added.

From Monday through Wednesday, the PLA carried out a massive military exercise, codenamed "Justice Mission-2025," in five maritime zones and in the airspace around Taiwan, saying it was a "stern warning to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces."

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, the PLA on Tuesday fired 27 artillery rockets, with 10 landing in waters within Taiwan's 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone, the closest ever, since China began conducting live-fire drills near Taiwan in recent years.