US Denounces “Coercion” as China Conducts Drills Near Taiwan

The former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan attends a ceremony at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), to mark the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, in Taipei, Taiwan on March 15, 2019. Fabian Hamacher/Reuters

TAIPEI—Chinese bombers and warships conducted drills around Taiwan on April 15, the latest military maneuvers near the self-ruled island that a senior U.S. official denounced as “coercion” and a threat to stability in the region.

The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help provide the island with the means to defend itself and is its main source of arms.