On Monday, Mr. Biden attended a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Japan.
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US President Joe Biden said on Monday he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, earning thanks from the democratic, self-governing island – but harsh criticism from China.
Asked at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida if the United States was prepared to defend Taiwan if attacked, Biden replied: “Yes.”
“That’s the commitment we’ve made,” Biden said. “We agree to the ‘one China’ policy. We signed that policy. All agreements with the waiter. [were] do from there. But the idea that it can be done by force, just need to be done by force. It’s not just that it’s inappropriate. “
Taiwan’s foreign ministry thanked Mr. Biden for reaffirming US support should Beijing invade the island. However, China’s foreign ministry said the US should not defend Taiwan’s independence, Reuters reported, adding that Beijing had no room for compromise or concessions on issues of sovereignty and integrity. territory.
Taiwan and mainland China are separated by the Taiwan Strait, the narrowest of which is only about 100 miles (160 km) wide. The ruling Chinese Communist Party in Beijing has never controlled Taiwan, but they claim the island is a runaway province that will one day be reunited with the mainland – by force if necessary.
Taiwan, and the view of the island through the lens of Russia’s onslaught in Ukraine, appeared several times during Biden’s press conference with Kishida.
The Japanese leader said the two countries’ positions towards Taiwan remained unchanged and “emphasized the importance of peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, which is an indispensable factor for peace and prosperity of the international community.”
