TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The deputy prime minister of Singapore and the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for regional peace and stability as China conducted large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan on Friday (May 24).

Speaking in Tokyo, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said a Taiwan Strait conflict would have grave consequences for any party involved but also for the whole world, per CNA. He also called for dialogue between China and the United States.

Beijing announced Thursday (May 23) that it was immediately starting two days of drills labeled “Joint Sword-2024A” involving land, sea, air, and rocket forces. The communist regime considered its maneuvers to be a “punishment” for what it called President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) May 20 pro-Taiwan independence inauguration speech.

Gan said the strait issue had already become the most dangerous potential point of conflict in the region. The possibility of accidents or misunderstandings would increase if the U.S. and China saw each other as opponents, he said.

Addressing his Japanese audience, he said Singapore would welcome visits by planes and ships from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. The visits would assist Japan’s role in fostering regional peace and security, Gan said.

In Vietnam, the government said it hoped Taiwan and China could maintain peace, stability, and cooperation, per CNA. Peace would not only benefit the whole world, including people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Hanoi said.