Brussels 23.05.2022 President Biden indicated at a news conference in Japan that he would use military force to defend Taiwan in case it ever attacked by China, dispensing with the “strategic ambiguity” traditionally favored by American presidents, and drawing a firmer line at a time of rising tensions in the region.

Responding to a reporter who asked whether the U.S. would be “willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that,” Biden said “Yes”. “That’s the commitment we made,” he added. The declaration set the stage for fresh tensions between the U.S. and China, which insists that Taiwan is part of its territory.

Though Biden appeared to be suggesting that he would be willing to go much further on behalf of Taiwan than he has in supporting Ukraine, the White House swiftly asserted that its policy had not changed, and that the U.S. would provide Taiwan with the “military means to defend itself” if necessary.