ANKARA

The European Union called on all parties in the Taiwan Strait to restraint and avoid escalation, according to an official statement on Monday.

The EU spokesperson warned that “China’s joint military activities around the entirety of Taiwan further increase cross-strait tensions.”

The bloc stressed the “strategic importance” of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the statement read.

“The EU has a direct interest in the preservation of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,” it said, noting that the bloc opposes “any unilateral actions that change the status quo by force or coercion.”

“We call on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that may further escalate cross-strait tensions, which should be resolved through dialogue,” the statement concluded.

Taiwan earlier Monday "strongly condemned" the military drills by China around the self-ruled island, calling them "irrational" and "provocative."

According to the Chinese military, the exercises around areas to the north, south, and east of the island focused on improving sea-air combat readiness, blocking key ports, targeting land and sea objectives, and gaining comprehensive battlefield control.

Beijing considers Taiwan “an inseparable part of Chinese territory” and has repeatedly urged other nations to refrain from actions that would send a wrong signal to “separatist forces” seeking independence.

The drills came four days after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said in a speech that China has no right to represent Taiwan and declared his commitment to “resist annexation.”