Biden said “yes” when asked during an interview that aired Sunday on CBS News’ 60 Minutes whether “US forces, US men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.” Asked for comment, a White House spokesman said US policy toward Taiwan had not changed. That policy says Washington wants to see Taiwan’s status resolved peacefully, but does not say whether US forces might be sent in response to a Chinese attack. “The president has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made it clear then that our policy on Taiwan has not changed. That remains true,” the spokesman said. Tensions are rising after efforts by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government to intimidate Taiwan by firing missiles into the nearby sea and flying fighter jets nearby amid visits to Taipei by political figures including US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. An AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo indigenous defense fighter is pictured during a live-fire military exercise in Pingtung, Taiwan, on September 7. (Ann Wang/Reuters) Taiwan’s foreign ministry on Monday expressed its “sincere gratitude” to Biden for “reaffirming the US government’s firm commitment to Taiwan’s security.” Taiwan will “resist authoritarian expansion and aggression” and “deepen close security cooperation” with Washington and other “like-minded” governments to protect regional stability, the statement said.
Split after the 1949 civil war
Washington is required by federal law to see that Taiwan has the means to defend itself, but has not said whether US forces will be sent. The United States has no formal relations with the island, but maintains informal diplomatic ties. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war that ended with the Communist Party in control of the mainland. The two governments say they are one country, but dispute who is entitled to be the national leader. Beijing criticizes official foreign contact with Taiwan’s elected government as an encouragement to make its de facto independence permanent, a step the mainland says will lead to war. Washington says it does not support formal independence for Taiwan, a stance Biden reiterated in the interview that aired Sunday. “Taiwan is making its own decisions about its independence,” the president said. “We don’t encourage them to be independent.” In May, Biden said “yes” when asked at a news conference in Tokyo if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded.
