Biden doubles down on Taiwan defense against possible Chinese invasion – scheerpost.com
President Biden said he did not encourage Taiwanese independence, but also said US forces would defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion.
By SP staff / Original to ScheerPost
Note to readers: This is an edited version of a story posted earlier today.
During interview Airing on CBS News’ ’60 Minutes’ on Sunday, President Joe Biden doubled down on his hawkish approach to foreign policy in East Asia by saying US forces would be used to defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion Chinese.
When interviewer Scott Pelley asked the president to clarify that it would be a different scenario than Ukraine, this time with real troops on the ground, Biden answered with an unequivocal “yes.”
Biden’s comments are the latest — after Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Washington in Taipei — to undermine longstanding US policy toward Taiwan. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which establishes that Washington will help Taiwan defend itself through defensive and economic support, does not promise to contribute troops or participate in the war.
During a trip to Japan in May, Biden took the same hawkish stance toward China, describing a hypothetical US defense of the island as a “commitment we made.”
White House spokespeople had to backtrack on several of Biden’s comments regarding Taiwan, including his comments in Japan and the recent 60 Minutes interview.
“The president has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made it clear that our Taiwanese policy has not changed. That remains true,” a spokesperson said. said.
Despite Biden’s assertion that Washington does not encourage Taiwan independence and remains committed to the one-China policy, the president continues to follow a historic model armament for the island. This month, the US State Department approved a $1.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan followed by approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to advance legislation that would grant a Additional $4.5 billion over four years in Taiwan.
AlJazeera writing“China claims Taiwan as a province that must be ‘reunited’ with the mainland, by force if necessary, and has accused the United States of disrupting regional stability and encouraging Taiwanese separatism.”
Matthew Kroenig, deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, called Biden’s position “clear” and told Al Jazeera:
“As long as he is president, American policy is to defend Taiwan. This is the right policy because it helps deter China and helps guide US military planning. I think America has the stomach for this fight. Hitler and Imperial Japan bet that America didn’t have the stomach for a fight as World War II approached. How did it go for them? Washington has a huge strategic interest in maintaining peace and stability, as well as a free and open order, in the Indo-Pacific.
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