Biden says he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, capping a series of critical comments about China while in Asia that an aide said represented no change in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island.

Biden’s remarks made during his first visit to Japan since taking office, and as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida looked on, appeared to be a departure from existing U.S. policy of so-called strategic ambiguity on Taiwan.

China considers the democratic island its territory, under its “one China” policy, and says it is the most sensitive and important issue in its relationship with Washington.

When a reporter asked Biden during a joint news conference with the Japanese leader if the United States would defend Taiwan if it were attacked, the president answered: “Yes”.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a joint news conference after their bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

“That’s the commitment we made,” he said.

“We agree with a one-China policy. We’ve signed on to it and all the intended agreements were made from there. But the idea that, that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate.”

Biden added it was his expectation that such an event would not happen or be attempted.

A White House official later said there was no change in policy towards Taiwan. China expressed its “strong dissatisfaction with and resolution opposition to the remarks”, a spokesman for its foreign ministry said.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry thanked Biden for his support.

Biden’s national security aides shifted in their seats and appeared to be studying Biden closely as he responded to the question on Taiwan. Several looked down as he made what appeared to be an unambiguous commitment to Taiwan’s defense.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida walk attend a welcome ceremony for President Biden, at the Akasaka Palace state guest house in Tokyo, Japan, May 23, 2022. Eugene Hoshiko/Pool via REUTERS

Biden made a similar comment about defending Taiwan in October. At that time, a White House spokesperson said Biden was not announcing any change in U.S. policy and one analyst referred to the comment as a “gaffe”.

Despite the White House insistence that Monday’s comments did not represent a change in U.S. policy, Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and now a research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies said the meaning was clear.

“This statement deserves to be taken seriously,” Newsham said. “It is a clear enough statement that the U.S. will not sit by if China attacks Taiwan.”

While Washington is required by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, it has long followed a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack.

TOUGHEN THE POLICY

Biden made other tough comments about Beijing’s increasingly assertive posture in the region, saying he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would pay a price for his invasion of Ukraine in part to show China what it would face if it were to invade Taiwan.

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito greets U.S. President Joe Biden prior to their meeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2022. Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS

“They’re seeking to toughen their policy but without necessarily provoking China,” said James Brown, an associate professor at Temple University Japan.

Biden’s remarks are also likely to overshadow the centerpiece of his Japan visit, the launch of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a broad plan providing an economic pillar for U.S. engagement with Asia.

During his time in Tokyo, Biden is also scheduled to meet the leaders of India and Australia – the other members of the Quad, an informal security grouping formed to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japanese premier Kishida emphasized Tokyo’s readiness to take a more robust defense posture, something the United States has long welcomed.

Kishida said he told Biden that Japan would consider various options to boost its defense capabilities, including the ability to retaliate. That would include a “considerable increase” in its defense budget, Kishida said.

Japan’s role in any conflict over Taiwan would be to enable a U.S. operation and help the United States defend its assets, said Yoji Koda, a retired Maritime Self Defense Force admiral and former fleet commander.

“Japan’s role in that would be substantial. Japan is an enabler of that security deterrence,” he said.

Kishida said that he had gained support from Biden on Japan’s becoming a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council amid growing calls for reform of the council. China and Russia are permanent members.

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(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Sakura Murakami, Chang-Ran Kim, Nobuhiro Kubo, Daniel Leussink, Kantaro Komiya, Ju-min Park, and Tim Kelly; Writing by Elaine Lies and David Dolan; Editing by Robert Birsel & Simon Cameron-Moore)