The Corner
Biden Says, for Fourth Time, U.S. Would Send Troops to Defend Taiwan from Chinese Invasion
Each of those times, as it did Sunday, the White House walked back the president’s comments and said that the policy has not changed.
President Biden said that the U.S. would send American troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese military assault, reaffirming a series of similar statements that he has made throughout his presidency. The White House quickly walked back the comment.
During an episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes that aired this evening, host Scott Pelley asked if U.S. forces would defend Taiwan. Biden answered, “Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack.” He also said, “We are not encouraging their being independent” and that “that’s their decision.”
Asked to clarify whether a potential invasion response would, unlike the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, include sending U.S. forces to Taiwan’s defense, Biden said yes.
Biden’s administration quickly walked back the president’s comments.
The White House told 60 Minutes that Biden’s remarks did not reflect a change of U.S. policy and that there is no official U.S. commitment to send American forces to Taiwan’s defense.
Biden has previously said that the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense three times since the start of his presidency. Prior to this evening, the most recent such comment was in May during a press conference in Tokyo, when he said that he is willing to “militarily” defend Taiwan. He added, “It’s a commitment we made.”
Each of those times, as it did tonight, the White House walked back the president’s comments and said that the policy has not changed.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is required to supply Taiwan with arms to defend itself. U.S. officials have, however, also maintained an ambiguous stance on a potential military response involving U.S. troops.
After Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last month, Beijing stepped up its military pressure campaign on Taiwan, sending jets and naval vessels to areas near the island. The People’s Liberation Army has opened an additional front in this campaign, as well, stepping up its use of drones to surveil Taiwan’s outlying islands, a move that prompted Taiwanese forces to shoot down one of those drones this month.
During a phone call with Biden in July, ahead of Pelosi’s trip, Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping warned: “Those who play with fire will perish by it.”
Meanwhile, Taiwanese officials are warning that the Chinese-invasion threat is worsening but say that they’re ready to stand their ground.
“I think that China’s coercive measure will only strengthen our will to safeguard our democratic life,” Ambassador James Lee, Taiwan’s envoy to the U.N., told NR in August.