Joe Biden says US will defend Taiwan in case of Chinese invasion

During a television interview broadcast on the CBS channel on Sunday evening, September 18, US President Joe Biden said that US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. Asked by Agence France-Presse (AFP), a White House spokesman confirmed on Sunday evening that the US had no policy on Taiwan.“not changed”.

to the question of “Americans Will Defend Taiwan in Case of Chinese Invasion”The US president responded: “Yes, if there is an unprecedented attack”. However, he insisted that he was not there “to encourage” The island must declare its independence. “That’s their decision.”He noted.

China considers Taiwan, with a population of about 23 million, as one of its provinces, and has yet to successfully reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. For seven decades, the Communist Army has never been able to capture the island, which was under the control of the Republic of China — the regime that once ruled mainland China, now Only governs Taiwan.

Joe Biden had already angered Beijing in late May by saying the US would intervene militarily in support of Taiwan in the event of an invasion by Communist China. Then he confirmed his connection and went back “Strategic Ambiguity”A deliberately vague concept that has governed US Taiwan policy for decades.

Very strong tensions with China

Avoiding Washington deciding whether or not the United States would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion,“Strategic Ambiguity” So far it has helped maintain a certain stability in the region. Washington also applies a “One China Policy” : The United States officially recognizes only one Chinese government, that of Beijing.

But at the same time, they are careful not to recognize Beijing’s position that Taiwan is an indivisible part of one China that will one day be reunified. The U.S. hopes Beijing and Taipei can find a solution, but opposes using any force to change the status quo. “We agree with what we signed a long time ago.”Joe Biden said during his interview.

However, his comments come after a remarkable rapprochement between the US and Taiwan, at a time when relations between Beijing and Washington are at their lowest level in decades. On Wednesday, a bill providing the first direct military aid from the US to Taiwan passed a major milestone in the US Congress. A few days ago, Washington announced a $1.1 billion arms sale to Taipei. In early August, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan also angered Beijing. China began the most important military maneuvers in its history around the island.

Ambiguity on second candidacy in 2024

During the same interview, the US president also whistled the official end of the pandemic. ” [Elle] It’s over, we still have the covid problem, we’re doing a lot of work for this file… but the pandemic is over”he told CBS. “If you look around, no one is wearing a mask, everyone is beautiful”he said. “So I think that’s changing. »

Finally, he left doubts about a possible candidacy for a second term, in 2024. ” My purpose, as I said at the beginning, is to represent myself “, he said before adding:” But that’s just a thought “, not one ” A definitive conclusion “.

America’s oldest ever elected president, Joe Biden, celebrates his 80th birthday on November 20. He will be 82 at the start of his second term and 86 at the end. Since his election in November 2020, the president has put himself forward on several occasions for the 2024 election, indicating that he will again choose his current vice president, Kamala Harris, as his running mate.