Biden says US will defend Taiwan if China attacks

[superadmin]

President Joe Biden said the US would defend Taiwan if China attacked, in an apparent departure from a long-held policy.

"Yes, we have a commitment to do that," he said when asked during a townhall if the US would defend Taiwan.

But a White House spokesman later told some US media outlets that his remarks did not signify a change in policy.

Taiwan reacted by saying Mr Biden's statement would not change its own position with regards to China.

The US has long practised "strategic ambiguity" when it comes to the thorny issue of defending Taiwan.

This has meant the US has been deliberately ambiguous about what it would do if China were to attack the island.


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