Biden says he would use force to defend Taiwan
White House official says no change in policy
us president joe Biden on monday said he would be willing to use force to defend taiwan, capping a series of critical comments about china that an aide said represented no change in us policy toward the selfruled island.
Biden’s remarks, made during his first visit to japan since taking office, appeared to be a departure from existing us policy of so-called “strategic ambiguity” on taiwan.
china considers the democratic island its territory, under its “one-china” policy, and says it is the most sensitive and important issue in its relationship with washington.
during a joint news conference with japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida, a reporter asked Biden if the us would defend taiwan if it were attacked. Biden answered, “yes.”
“that’s the commitment we made,” he said. “we agree with a one-china policy. we’ve signed on to it and all the intended agreements made from there. But the idea that, that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate.”
Biden said it was his expectation that such an event would neither happen nor be attempted.
a white House official later said there was no change in policy toward taiwan. the chinese Foreign ministry expressed its “strong dissatisfaction with and [resolute] opposition to the remarks.”
taiwan’s Foreign ministry thanked Biden for his support, as did taiwan’s senior representative in israel.
“taiwan is grateful to president Biden’s strong message to show rock-solid support to taiwan,” ya-ping (abby) Lee, representative of the taipei economic and cultural office in tel aviv, told The Jerusalem Post monday. “we will continue to work closely