In Tokyo, Biden says would be willing to use force to defend TaiwanThai PBS, May 23, 2022
TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, in a series of critical comments about China he made in Tokyo that an aide said represented no change in U.S. policy on the self-ruled island.
Biden’s comment, made during his first visit to Japan since taking office, and as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida looked on, appeared to be a departure from existing U.S. policy of so-called strategic ambiguity on Taiwan.
China considers the democratic island its territory, part of “one China”, and says it is the most sensitive and important issue in its ties with the United States.
When a reporter asked Biden during a joint news conference with the Japanese leader if the United States would defend Taiwan if it were attacked, the president answered: “Yes.”
“That’s the commitment we made,” he said.
“We agree with a one-China policy. We’ve signed on to it and all the intended agreements made from there. But the idea that, that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate.”
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