Letter of Assistance
Biden warns China: USA would defend Taiwan if attacked
Joe Biden, President of the USA, attends a CNN town hall event hosted by Anderson Cooper (not in the picture). US President Joe Biden has warned of the consequences of climate change with drastic words and called for decisive action. Photo: Evan Vucci / AP / dpa
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So far, the US has deliberately left it open as to whether it would provide military assistance to Taiwan in the event of an invasion by China. US President Biden leaves no doubt about that. Is the conflict rocking up?
In the tensions surrounding Taiwan, US President Joe Biden promised more clearly than his predecessor that the US would defend the island democratic republic in the event of an attack by China.
The US government has an “obligation” to do so, Biden said on CNN. The US is not looking for a conflict with China, but Beijing must understand “that we will not take a step back, that we will not change our positions,” said local time. China reacted outraged on Friday, while Taiwan welcomed the declaration of assistance.
China’s Foreign Office spokesman Wang Wenbin sharply rejected Biden’s remarks. Taiwan is an internal affair of China, in which no one should interfere. The US should follow the one-China principle and «act and speak prudently». They should also refrain from “sending any false signals to the independence forces in Taiwan”. “Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory.” Nobody should underestimate China’s determination to maintain its territorial integrity.
The statements of wanting to support Taiwan militarily were made during a TV conversation in Baltimore. When asked by a citizen, CNN presenter Anderson Cooper asked Biden, referring to China, “Are you saying that the United States would defend Taiwan if it tried to attack?” Biden replied: “Yes, we have an obligation to do that.”
The USA had previously reserved such a military declaration of support in Asia for its close allies Japan and South Korea, where the US armed forces also have a military presence. Tensions around Taiwan had increased significantly recently. A record number of Chinese military aircraft had repeatedly broken into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) to put air defenses to the test.
Taiwan’s government welcomed the American stance. “Since Biden took office, the US government has continuously demonstrated its solid support for Taiwan through practical steps,” said a presidential spokesman in Taipei. Taiwan is committed to its self-defense and wants to work with like-minded countries to contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the Taiwan Strait.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was a little more reluctant on Friday. Taiwan will continue to be helped to defend itself, he said at the NATO defense ministers’ conference in Brussels. That’s what you focus on. “I’m not going to get into any hypothetical considerations about Taiwan,” Austin said.
Two weeks ago, China’s head of state and party, Xi Jinping, increased the pressure on Taiwan by calling for a “reunification,” which is best done peacefully. He warned that a split in Taiwan would have a “bad end.” Taiwan’s government rejected the request. The island republic is a “sovereign and independent country and not part of the People’s Republic of China,” said a presidential spokesman. The future of the liberal country will be decided by the Taiwanese.