WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday warned an “increasingly aggressive” China not to attempt to change the status quo around Taiwan, saying to do so would be a “serious mistake.”

“What we’ve seen, and what is of real concern to us, is increasingly aggressive actions by the government in Beijing directed at Taiwan, raising tensions in the (Taiwan) Straits,” Blinken told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

He added that the United States has a long-standing commitment to Taiwan “to make sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself, and to make sure that we’re sustaining peace and security in the Western Pacific.”

Blinken would not be drawn on whether Washington would respond militarily to any Chinese action involving Taiwan.

But he added: “All I can tell you is it would be a serious mistake for anyone to try to change the existing status quo by force.”

The United States has been concerned for some time about the buildup of Chinese forces in the region, including aggressive actions in the region’s oceans and military overflights in skies near Taiwan.

Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, is considered by Beijing a territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.