The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday reiterated that Pakistan regarded Taiwan as an inalienable part of China. The statement from FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi came in response to media queries seeking Pakistan’s response to “developments in the Taiwan Strait”. “Pakistan and China are iron-clad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners. We reiterate our consistent support to China on all matters of its core interests, including Taiwan,“ he said. “We will continue to adhere to the One-China principle and regard Taiwan as an inalienable part of China,” he said. The FO spokesperson had made similar remarks during yesterday’s weekly press briefing in response to a question regarding the sale of arms to Taiwan by the United States. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, while Taiwan rejects China’s claims. Although the statement released by the FO on Friday did not make a specific mention of the exact developments it was referring to, it comes after China completed military drills around Taiwan that included live-fire exercises aimed at simulating a blockade of key ports and assaults on maritime targets. The US State Department on Thursday said the Chinese war games around Taiwan “unnecessarily” spiked tensions in the region, calling on Beijing to “cease its military pressure”. “China’s military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan and others in the region increase tensions unnecessarily. We urge Beijing to exercise restraint, cease its military pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.