LONDON: The armed forces of the United States would jump into the defence of Taiwan if China decides to invade the country.
This was clearly stated by the President of the United States – Joe Biden.
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Speaking in an interview – CBS 60 Minutes – US President Joe Biden said: “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack.”
The interview was just the latest time that Biden has appeared to go beyond long-standing stated US policy on Taiwan.
Reuters reported that a White House spokesperson said US policy towards Taiwan had not changed.
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“The President has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made clear then that our Taiwan policy hasn’t changed. That remains true,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry responded to Joe Biden’s statement on Monday, saying that the US President’s remarks “severely violate” US policy on Taiwan.
Taiwan is a self-ruled island off the coast of eastern China that Beijing claims as part of its territory.
In the interview, Biden also reiterated that the US was not encouraging Taiwan independence.
“There’s a One China policy and Taiwan makes their own judgements on their independence. We are not moving, not encouraging their being independent – that’s their decision,” he said.
Taiwan, meanwhile, has responded to Biden’s remarks on Monday by welcoming the “US government’s rock-solid security commitment to Taiwan”.
Taipei said it would continue to deepen its “close security partnership” with Washington.