US seeks to contain Beijing anger after Biden vows Taiwan defense

WASHINGTON (HRNW) – The United States on Friday sought to prevent an escalation with China, saying there was no change in Taiwan policy after President Joe Biden promised to defend the island from attack by Beijing.

Tensions have soared in recent months as Beijing steps up air incursions near Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy that the growing Asian power has vowed one day to take over, by force if necessary.

At a CNN televised forum in Baltimore on Thursday evening, Biden was asked whether the United States would come to Taiwan s defense if China invaded. “Yes,” he responded. “We have a commitment to that.”

Biden s statement appeared at odds with the long-held US policy of “strategic ambiguity,” where Washington helps build Taiwan s defenses but does not explicitly promise to come to the island s help in the event of war.

The United States clarified Friday that it was still guided by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, in which Congress required the United States to provide weaponry to “enable Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities.”