Rep. John Moolenaar, Raja Krishnamoorthi slam China military exercises

Bipartisan lawmakers on the Select Committee on China on Tuesday accused Beijing of escalating tensions in the region, warning that the Capitol had taken note of their military deployment around Taiwan.

“As the world turns to a new year, the People’s Liberation Army’s live-fire military exercises around Taiwan represent a deliberate escalation by Beijing,” committee chairman Rep. John Moolenaar, Republican of Michigan, and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat of Illinois, said in a joint news release.

China surrounds Taiwan with warships and fighter jets in largest military exercises on record

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., is seen in the Cannon Tunnel on April 30, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“These exercises aim to intimidate Taiwan and other democracies in the region and undermine peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi’s statement comes as China conducts a two-day show of force across the Taiwan Strait. The country has fired rockets into international waters around Taiwan and deployed amphibious assault ships, bombers, drones and other vessels to the region.

China is conducting exercises on all four sides of Taiwan, grounding international flights.

THE MOST SHOCKING EXAMPLES OF CHINESE SPYING DISCOVERED BY THE US THIS YEAR: “JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG”

Taiwanese warplanes prepare to take off from an air base in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan, on Tuesday, as Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it detected Chinese warships and military aircraft engaged in training. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

This is not the first time that China has engaged in saber-rattling around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.

President Donald Trump, in a statement Monday, said he was not concerned about China’s show of force, adding that he had “an excellent relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump pointed out that China has been conducting naval and military exercises in the region for 20 years.

CHINA AND RUSSIA CONDEMN US PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One during a trip from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

House lawmakers said China’s displays of power are aimed at expanding the CCP’s influence beyond its borders.

“By repeating coercive military scenarios and projecting force beyond its borders, the Chinese Communist Party seeks to reshape the regional order through aggression and intimidation,” the committee said.

The lawmakers added that they would continue to support Taiwan.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“The United States stands with Taiwan and other democracies and will continue to work with our partners to preserve Taiwan’s security and maintain a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific,” their statement said.