The US military will protect Taiwan should China ever decide to invade the island nation. US President Joe Biden said this on Sunday in an interview with CBS 60 minutes. He answered “yes” to the question of whether US troops will also be sent to Taiwan to help with the defense, unlike the current situation in Ukraine.
Biden has never been so clear about military support for Taiwan, which China sees as a renegade province. In May, he said defending Taiwan is “a promise the United States has made to itself,” but did not explicitly mention sending troops.
Also read: China is not planning an invasion of Taiwan for the time being
White House: No Official Policy
After the interview aired on Thursday, the White House said that Biden’s statement is not in line with official US policy and that the policy has not been changed. Weapons have been promised so that Taiwan can defend itself in the event of a Chinese invasion, but according to a spokesperson the question of whether American soldiers will also travel remains unanswered.
Biden’s ruling will further strain the already tense relationship between China and the US. After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Washington “not to play with fire” and China conducted days of military exercises in the waters around Taiwan.
Watch the excerpt below CBS 60 Minutes in which Biden makes his statements about Taiwan: