WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said US forces would defend Taiwan in event of a Chinese invasion, his most explicit statement so far on issue. Asked in a CBS 60 Minutes interview broadcast whether US forces would defend democratically governed island claimed by China, he replied: “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack.”

Asked to clarify if he meant that unlike in Ukraine, US forces - American men and women would defend Taiwan in event of a Chinese invasion, Biden replied, “Yes.” Interview was just latest time that Biden has appeared to go beyond long-standing stated US policy on Taiwan, but his statement was clearer than previous ones about committing US troops to defend island. United States has long stuck to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” and not making clear whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan. Asked to comment, a White House spokesperson said US policy towards Taiwan had not changed. Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defence capabilities and deepen close security partnership between Taiwan and United States, it said in a statement.

In 60 Minutes interview, Biden reiterated United States remained committed to a “One-China” policy in which Washington officially recognises Beijing not Taipei and said United States was not encouraging Taiwanese independence. Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control and has not ruled out use of force. Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 20 2022

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