TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The EU denounced China for carrying out military exercises around Taiwan on Tuesday.

In a statement issued the same day, the European External Action Service accused China of “increasing cross-strait tensions” with its provocative actions. The EEAS reiterated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of strategic importance to the security and prosperity of the region and the world.

The People’s Liberation Army launched joint army, navy, and rocket force exercises around Taiwan. China said the drills focused on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, seizure of comprehensive control, strikes on maritime and land targets, and blockades.

“The EU has a direct interest in the preservation of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,” the EEAS said. It opposed unilateral actions that alter the status quo through force or intimidation, it added.

The EEAS urged all parties involved to engage in cross-strait dialogue and refrain from taking any actions that escalate tensions.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) welcomed the statement, saying it demonstrates the EU’s continued support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This is the third time the EEAS has expressed concern about China’s military drills near Taiwan, following the two after “Joint Sword” exercises last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Last month, the EU released the “White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030,” which warned of China’s rapid military expansion and its escalating coercion against Taiwan. The report also stressed that any change in the Taiwan Strait status quo would have significant economic and strategic consequences for Europe.

MOFA reaffirmed Taiwan’s role as a responsible member of the international community. Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the EU and like-minded nations to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific and safeguard regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity, the ministry added.

The US also slammed China's drills, saying they “only serve to exacerbate tensions and put the region’s security and the world’s prosperity at risk.”