US President Joe Biden says the United States is willing to use force to defend Taiwan against China. He calls that a promise that the country has imposed on itself.
Biden’s spokesman toned down his words shortly after the president spoke. According to the spokesman, the US is committed to providing military support so that Taiwan can defend itself. What Biden meant is therefore not entirely clear.
“China flirts with danger,” Biden said. Chinese planes recently flew very close to Taiwan and last month the Chinese army held a military exercise near the island state.
Biden also said he is not against the unification of Taiwan and China, but under no circumstances should it be done through military intervention. “That would destabilize the entire region, just as is happening in Ukraine now.”
China previously called US support for Taiwan even more dangerous.
China does not recognize Taiwan as a separate state and sees it as part of China. In 1949, the leaders of China, expelled by the communists, fled to the island and founded the Republic of China (Taiwan).