Tuesday 24 May 2022 05:40 AM Biden insists US policy regarding Taiwan remains the same after rattling China trends now
President Joe Biden insisted Tuesday that he didn't change the U.S.'s policy toward Taiwan after rattling China Monday by answering in the affirmative when a reporter asked if he'd be 'willing to get involved militarily' to defend the island.
'The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday,' Biden told reporters at the Quad summit in Tokyo.
The president was first asked if the policy of 'strategic ambiguity' toward Taiwan was dead.
'No,' Biden responded.
When asked to elaborate, Biden declined.
'No,' he said.
President Joe Biden insisted Tuesday that he didn't change the U.S.'s policy toward Taiwan after rattling China Monday by answering in the affirmative when a reporter asked if he'd be 'willing to get involved militarily' to defend the island
President Joe Biden (center left) was peppered with questions about his Taiwan comments Tuesday as he participated in the Quad Fellowship Announcement alongside (from left) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Biden was meeting with the Quad leaders Tuesday - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida - to wrap up his first trip to Asia as president.
During a press conference Monday alongside Kishida, Biden affirmed he would be willing to get involved militarily if China invaded Taiwan – drawing parallels between that threat and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
'Yes,' Biden said. 'That's a commitment we made,' Biden responded when asked about the hot button diplomatic issue.
Biden reiterated that the U.S. agrees to the so-called 'One China' policy - that only the People's Republic of China is 'China,' thus the U.S.'s diplomatic relationship with Taiwan is unofficial.
'But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not appropriate,' Biden said. 'It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.'
Additionally, Biden said: 'My expectation is it will not happen, it will not be attempted.'
Chinese troops take part in a military drill. Biden said Monday that Chin was 'already flirting with danger' by conducting military drills near Taiwan
But he condemned military exercises China was conducting. 'They're already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers that are undertaken,' the president said.
A White House official asked to clarify the comment responded: 'As the President said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself.'
Biden was asked at the very end of a press conference, held at Tokyo's Akasaka Palace: 'You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that?' - to which the president answered in the affirmative.
In response, China's foreign ministry told Reuters that the U.S. should not defend Taiwan's independence.
China blasted Biden's comments, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressing 'strong dissatisfaction and resolute
