The White House has lodged a protest with China's ambassador to the United States in light of the Chinese military's massive drills near Taiwan.

Beijing launched the exercises following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan earlier this week.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that Ambassador Qin Gang was summoned the previous day.

Kirby said the US condemned the drills as "irresponsible and at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

He also said, "We will not seek and do not want a crisis," but "at the same time, we will not be deterred from operating in the seas and skies of the Western Pacific, consistent with international law, as we have for decades supporting Taiwan and defending a free and open Indo-Pacific."

A Chinese official says the ambassador rejected the protest.

The official said the envoy condemned Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, and told White House officials that the US is the troublemaker.