Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary of Defence | Official website
The Pentagon has been observing the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) military exercise, JOINT SWORD 2024B, near Taiwan. The operation has been described as "irresponsible, disproportionate, and destabilizing" by Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. He noted that Taiwan's president traditionally delivers a domestic-focused address on October 10th, which usually elicits little reaction from China. However, this year, China chose to conduct provocative military actions.
Maj. Gen. Ryder emphasized that deterrence remains strong in the Indo-Pacific region and expressed confidence in the Department of Defense's current force posture and operations there. He highlighted the global interest in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and mentioned a growing community of countries committed to these goals.
The United States intends to continue collaborating with allies and partners to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific despite China's destabilizing actions. Maj. Gen. Ryder reiterated America's commitment to its longstanding one-China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances.
