US President Joe Biden stated on Thursday (October 21) that the United States would protect Taiwan and promised to defend the islands claimed by China, although the White House later stated that there was no change in its policy on the island.
“Yes, we have a commitment to do so,” Biden said at the CNN City Hall when asked whether the United States will come to defend Taiwan.
Although the law requires Washington to provide Taiwan with means of self-defense, it has long pursued a policy of “strategic ambiguity”, that is, whether it will conduct military intervention to protect Taiwan when China launches an attack.
In August, an official in the Biden administration stated that after the president seemed to imply that the United States would defend the island if Taiwan was attacked, the US policy on Taiwan had not changed.
A White House spokesperson said that Biden did not announce any changes in US policy in his city hall and “our policy has not changed”, but when asked if Biden was wrong, he declined to comment further.
“The defense relationship between the United States and Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act. We will abide by our commitments 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 spokesperson said.
In response to Biden’s remarks, the Presidential Office of Taiwan stated that their position is unchanged, that is, they will not succumb to pressure when they gain support, and will not “rush forward.”
Presidential Office spokesman Zhang Zewei said in a statement that Taiwan will show firm determination to defend itself, and pointed out that the Biden administration will continue to take concrete actions to show its “rock-solid” support for Taiwan.
“The most powerful army”
Biden said that people should not worry about Washington’s military power because “China, Russia and the rest of the world all know that we are the most powerful military in the history of the world.”
Biden said: “What you have to worry about is whether they will engage in activities that might get them into serious mistakes.”
“I don’t want to fight a cold war with China. I just want China to understand that we will not retreat and we will not change any of our views.”
Taiwan’s Defense Minister Qiu Guozheng said this month that military tensions between Taiwan and China are at the worst level in more than 40 years, adding that by 2025, China will be able to launch a “full-scale” invasion.
Taiwan claims that it is an independent country and will defend its freedom and democracy.
China calls Taiwan the most sensitive and important issue in Sino-US relations and condemns the so-called “collusion” between Washington and Taipei.
China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, told reporters earlier Thursday that they are seeking “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan and responding to the “division attempt” of his ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
“We are not troublemakers. On the contrary, some countries-especially the United States-are taking dangerous actions to steer the situation across the Taiwan Strait in a dangerous direction,” he said.
“I think what we should call on the United States at this moment is to stop this practice. It is absolutely not in anyone’s interest to drag Taiwan into the war. I don’t think the United States will gain any benefit from it.”
