In the event of an attack by China, the US would defend Taiwan, Biden said. The US government has an “obligation” to do so.
A little later, the White House tried to reassure that this did not mean a departure from the previous policy. But Biden’s promise has already sparked numerous reactions. Taiwan welcomed Biden’s declaration of military assistance, which the US had previously only reserved for its close allies Japan and South Korea in Asia.
The Chinese warning was not long in coming: Taiwan was an internal affair of China, in which no one should interfere, said the Chinese Foreign Office spokesman Wang Wenbin in Beijing. “Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory.” Therefore, the US should “act and speak prudently”. They should also refrain from “sending any false signals to the independence forces in Taiwan” and damaging relations with China.
China is increasing the pressure
The conflict had recently intensified massively: two weeks ago, China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping increased the pressure on Taiwan by calling for a “reunification,” which should ideally take place peacefully. He warned that a split in Taiwan would have a “bad end”. A record number of Chinese military aircraft had repeatedly entered Taiwan’s airspace
