WASHINGTON — The State Department on Thursday urged China to stop its military pressure against Taiwan and engage in "meaningful" dialogue after Beijing conducted military drills near the self-ruled island this week following the United States' announcement of a large-scale weapons package for Taipei. Tommy Pigott, the department's principal deputy spokesperson, issued a statement after China's People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command said Wednesday (local time) that it has concluded Exercise Justice Mission 2025. The drills took place on Monday and Tuesday, mobilizing Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force personnel in the Taiwan Strait and other areas surrounding Taiwan in what the Chinese military described as a "stern" warning against "separatist forces" and "external interference." "China's military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan and others in the region increase tensions unnecessarily," Pigott said. "We urge Beijing to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue." The spokesperson reiterated that the Uni