“Differences should be resolved through dialogue, not by force or coercion. Australia stands firmly against any unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Maintaining peace and stability is in everyone’s best interest,” the statement emphasized, noting that Australian officials had expressed their concerns to Chinese representatives.

Taiwan criticized the military exercises, labeling them a threat to regional security and an unmistakable provocation.

According to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, the scale of China’s maritime operations has been gradually increasing since the beginning of the week.

The officials, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the size of China’s maritime deployment has steadily increased since early this week.