US President, Joe Biden has vowed to come to Taiwan’s defense if it comes under attack from China.
In recent weeks, Beijing has sent dozens of warplanes near into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), and Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that “reunification” between China and Taiwan was inevitable.
Taiwan is a self-governed island and has been that way in the last 70 years after a civil war that made its inhabitants flee mainland China.
The US continues to supply Taiwan with military training and weapons but it wasn’t clear in the past if the US was willing to go to war with China over Taiwan.
Asked twice during CNN’s town hall whether the US would protect Taiwan if China attacked, Biden said: “Yes, we have a commitment to do that.”
Biden has made similar statements in the past, only to have the White House say longstanding US policy had not changed toward the island.
Under the “One China” policy, the US acknowledges China’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.
A White House official attempted to clarify Biden’s comments on Taiwan after the town hall, saying the President was “not announcing any change in our policy and there is no change in our policy” in his remarks about China and Taiwan.
“The U.S. defense relationship with Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act. We will uphold our commitment under the Act, we will continue to support Taiwan’s self-defense, and we will continue to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo,” the official said.
Biden said he was not concerned about an intentional military conflict with China but indicated he was worried about unintentional escalation.
“China, Russia, and the rest of the world know we have the most powerful military in the history of the world. Don’t worry about whether they’re going to be more powerful,” he said.
“But you do have to worry about whether or not they’re going to engage in activities that will put them in a position where they may make a serious mistake.”
“I have spoken and spent more time with Xi Jinping than any other world leader has. That’s why you hear people saying Biden wants to start a new cold war with China. I don’t want a cold war with China. I want China to understand that we are not going to step back and change any of our views.”
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