US changes the game over Taiwan
US president Joe Biden appeared to overturn the decades-old policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan earlier this week by pledging to use military force to defend the territory if China invades, says the Financial Times. Until now, the US had recognised China’s claim on the islands through its “one-China” policy, while at the same time emphasising that any re-unification must take place peacefully, a policy aimed at discouraging Taiwan from formally declaring independence and a Chinese attack. Biden’s remarks have caused confusion by leaving open the possibility that US troops would get directly involved in any conflict.
Almost immediately after Biden made the comments, White House officials tried to walk them back, insisting there had been no change in policy, says Katie Stallard in The New Statesman. Biden also reaffirmed his commitment to the one-China policy. Still, it’s unlikely these were “unscripted” remarks and “this is not the first time he has made similar comments”. Tensions around Taiwan Biden’s comments “will only make the tense situation more fraught”.
Far from being a “classic Biden gaffe”, asserting that the US will go beyond supplying weapons in its defence of Taiwan was “prudent, necessary and strategically astute”, especially in the wake of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, says Bret Stephens in The New York Times. China can hardly complain as it has already “changed the rules of the game” – breaking the “one country, two systems” agreement in Hong Kong and carrying out aggressive military provocations against Taiwan.