US President Joe Biden said the United States is ready to stand up for Taiwan in the event of an invasion by China. He said this in an interview with CBS.
Asked if this meant the US would provide military support to Taiwan, Biden replied, "Yes, if it's an unprecedented attack." The CBS journalist also clarified whether this means that, unlike the war in Ukraine, the US military will defend the island, to which Biden responded positively.
Thus, Biden confirmed the promise he made in May. Then, when asked if the United States was ready to defend Taiwan with the use of military force, he replied: “Yes. This is a commitment we have made."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry protested in response to the US President's statement.
"We will not tolerate attempts to separate Taiwan and reserve the right to take the necessary measures, do not underestimate our determination to protect sovereignty," the ministry said in a statement.
In late August, two US Navy ships entered international waters in the Taiwan Strait. This happened for the first time since Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited the island. According to the US Navy, the ships transited through a corridor in a strait that is outside the territorial sea of any coastal state, thereby demonstrating the US commitment to an open Indo-Pacific region.