The US President, Joe Biden said US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasionhis most explicit statement on the subject, which generated a Angry response from the Xi Jinping regime.
Asked on the network’s “60 Minutes” CBS about whether US troops would defend Taiwan, Biden said “yes” in the event of “an unprecedented attack.”
The interview of CBS it was just the last time Biden appeared to go beyond long-established US policy on Taiwan, but his statement was clearer than previous ones about sending US troops to defend the island.
The United States has long stuck to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” and makes it unclear whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan.
This policy is designed both to prevent a Chinese invasion and to dissuade Taiwan from provoking Beijing by declaring independence.
When asked to comment on Biden’s remarks, a White House spokesman said that US policy toward Taiwan had not changed.
“The president has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made it clear that our Taiwan policy has not changed. that’s still true”, said the spokesman.
Every time Biden has raised the possibility of US troops fighting to protect Taiwan, China has reacted furiously, and so it happened again this Monday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, mao ningtold a regular briefing in Beijing that Biden’s comments sent a “very wrong signal” to the separatist forces for the independence of Taiwan.
China was ‘very dissatisfied and resolutely opposed’ to Biden’s comments and filed a formal complaint about it, he said, warning that China reserves the right to take all necessary measures to counter separatism.
On the other hand the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to Biden for reaffirming the US government’s “rock-solid security commitment to Taiwan.”
Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and will deepen the close security partnership between Taiwan and the United StatesTaiwan’s ministry said in a statement.
The interview of CBS with Biden was held last week. The president is in Britain for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday.
“Your decision”
On the other hand, in the interview Biden also reiterated that the United States remained committed to a “one China” policy. in which Washington officially recognizes Beijing, not Taipei, and said the United States was not encouraging Taiwan independence.
“We are not moving, we are not encouraging them to be independent … that is their decision“, said.
Washington severed formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979.going on to recognize Beijing as the sole representative of China, which later became an important trading partner.
But at the same time, The United States maintained a decisive, if at times delicate, role in supporting Taiwan.
By law passed by Congress, The United States is obliged to sell Taiwan military supplies to ensure their self-defense against Beijing’s much larger armed forces.
Tensions are already higher than usual as a result of the Nancy Pelosi visit to Taiwana key Biden ally and Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
China saw his visit as an escalation and it reacted by organizing intimidating military exercises by sea and air around Taiwan.
In a recent move from the other house of Congress, a US Senate committee last Wednesday took the first step toward changing current policy by trying to Directly allocate $4.5 billion in military aid over four years to Taiwaninstead of just continuing to sell weapons to the island.
China has protested moves by US lawmakers to promote legislation that would enhance US military support for Taiwan.
Chinese President, Xi JinpingHe promised to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control and did not rule out the use of force. Taiwan strongly opposes China’s sovereignty claims.
(With information from Reuters and AFP)
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Source-www.infobae.com