US military will defend Taiwan ‘if it comes to that’, says Biden

President Biden stated that the United States would send the military to defend Taiwan should the People’s Republic of China invade the island nation.

“Very quickly, you did not want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?” asked a journalist the president during a press conference in Japan.

“Yes,” Biden replied.

“You are?” pressed the reporter.

“That is the commitment we have made,” the president said.

President Joe Biden, left, speaks during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace on Monday, May 23, 2022 in Tokyo. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci)
(AP Photo / Evan Vucci)

A White House spokesman told Fox News that the administration’s policy “has not changed.”

“As the president said, our policy has not changed,” the spokesman said. “He reiterated our One China policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself.”

“A China policy” refers to the United States’ recognition of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate government in China, but only acknowledges, without approving, Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is part of China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin considers Ukraine part of historic Russia, and Xi considers Taiwan part of China.

CHINA LAUNCHES MILITARY EXERCISES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AS BIDEN VISIT ASIA

In October, Biden said that the United States would defend Taiwan if China attacks. A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry responded by saying, “No one should underestimate the strong determination, determination and ability of the Chinese people to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China has no room for compromise.”

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will give a speech during the celebration of National Day in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei, Taiwan, on Thursday, October 10, 2019.
(AP Photo / Chiang Ying-ying)

China launched military exercises in the disputed South China Sea when Biden’s trip to East Asia began on Friday.

Asia expert Gordon Chang, author of ‘The Great US-China Tech War’, said the Biden administration is trying to trace past indications that America fears China by continuing Taiwan discussions in light of public warnings from Chinese officials . Chang told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday that China’s latest military exercise is “linked” to Biden’s visit to Asia because his joint statement with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned Taiwan directly.

“They are connected because before Biden landed in South Korea – the first stop on the trip – the Chinese warned him publicly not to talk about Taiwan, and then there was the joint statement between President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol from South Korea, which specifically mentions Taiwan, “said Chang. “There’s going to be a lot of Taiwan discussions in Japan, the second and final stop on this journey – and so really is what the United States said to Beijing, ” I’m not afraid of you anymore ‘.’

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“The reason the administration has to do that is because in the last few weeks the Biden team has been doing things that made it look like it had been intimidated by China, which is why that the Chinese were very aggressive before the trip because they thought they had Biden on the run, “Chang added.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s timetable for invading Taiwan, according to documents allegedly written by a Russian intelligence analyst at one of Moscow’s security agencies.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending an awards ceremony for role models from the Beijing Winter and Paralympic Games in the People’s Great Hall on April 8 in Beijing.
(AP Photo / Ng Han Guan)

“Xi Jinping was at least considering taking over Taiwan in the fall – he needs his own little victory to be re-elected for a third term – there the struggle in the elite is colossal,” an agent of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to KGB, reportedly wrote on March 9th.

“Now, after the Ukrainian events, this window of opportunity has been closed to him, allowing the United States to both blackmail Xi and negotiate with its competitors on favorable terms,” ​​the FSB agent added. “It was in this case that we launched a trap mechanism for China with our actions.”