US says support for Taiwan ‘rock-solid’

WASHINGTON: The United States’ commitment to Taiwan is "rock-solid", the State Department said late on Saturday, as it warned that China’s "attempts to intimidate" the island are a threat to regional peace.

The comments are the first from Washington on relations with Taiwan since President Joe Biden’s inauguration last week, and came on the same day Taipei reported multiple Chinese jets and bombers had flown into its air defence zone.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said it "notes with concern the pattern of ongoing PRC attempts to intimidate its neighbours, including Taiwan" and "urges Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan".