Joe Biden vows to protect Taiwan, says no policy change; China declares no concession on island
"I would also note that Secretary [Lloyd] Austin also spoke of this and he said as Secretary of Defense, of course, nobody wants to see cross-Strait issues come to blows, certainly not President Biden, and there is no reason that it should," Sputnik quoted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki as saying.
FollowUS President Joe Biden does not want to see cross-Strait issues between China and Taiwan come to blows, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.
"I would also note that Secretary [Lloyd] Austin also spoke of this and he said as Secretary of Defense, of course, nobody wants to see cross-Strait issues come to blows, certainly not President Biden, and there is no reason that it should," Sputnik quoted Psaki as saying.
President Biden was speaking at a forum hosted by CNN on Thursday when the topic turned to China and the reports of increasingly threatening behaviour towards Taiwan.
"There has been no shift. The President was not announcing any change in our policy nor has he made a decision to change our policy," Psaki said. "Our defense relationship with Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act."
Asked by a member of the audience if the United States would commit to protect Taiwan in the event of a war, Biden appeared to respond affirmatively.
“Are you saying that the United States would come to Taiwan’s defense if China attacked?” host Anderson Cooper interjected.
“Yes. We have a commitment,” Biden quickly responded.
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Meanwhile, China on Friday said there is “no room” for compromise or concessions over the issue of Taiwan, following a comment by US President Joe Biden that the US is committed to defending the island if it is attacked.
China has recently upped its threat to bring Taiwan under its control by force if necessary, by flying warplanes near the island and rehearsing beach landings.
“When it comes to issues related to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and other core interests, there is no room for China to compromise or make concessions, and no one should underestimate the strong determination, firm will and strong ability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.
“Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The Taiwan issue is purely an internal affair of China that allows no foreign intervention," Wang said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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