Pentagon chief sees no imminent move on Taiwan by China

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said he saw no imminent move on Taiwan by China, but Beijing was trying to establish a "new normal" with its military activities around the island.

A visit to Taiwan early in August by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi enraged China, which late launched military drills near the island. Those have continued, although on a much-reduced scale.

"I don't see an imminent invasion," Austin told CNN in an interview, according to the UAE-based news service The National.

"What we do see is China moving to establish what we would call a new normal. Increased activity — we saw a number of centre line crossings of the Taiwan Strait by their aircraft. That number has increased over time. We've seen more activity with their surface vessels and waters in and around Taiwan," the defence secretary said.

The US and its allies have responded to the drills by continuing to sail through the region. A US Navy warship and a Canadian frigate made a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait on September 20.

“The US will continue to work with its allies and partners "to ensure that we maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific," Austin said.