President Joe Biden on Monday said that he would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack.
What Happened: Biden was speaking in Japan during his first Asian tour as president when he made the remark. He explained that the U.S. has not changed its long-standing policy recognizing the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, without acknowledging that Taiwan is part of China. Although, when asked if the U.S. military would defend Taiwan, Biden said, "yes."
“We agree with the One China policy and all the attendant agreements we made,” he noted. “But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, would just not be appropriate.”
The president also compared a potential invasion of Taiwan to the Russia-Ukraine war. “It would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. So, it’s a burden that is even stronger,” he said.
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China Responds: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded to Biden's comments, saying, "China has no room for compromise or concessions on issues involving China’s core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity." Wenbin said that Taiwan is "an inalienable part of China's territory."
There are no diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Taiwan, but the U.S. sells arms to the country as part of its Taiwan Relations Act, providing the island with the means for self-defense.
Photo: Created with images from Digi_shot and jlhervàs on Flickr.
