In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, US President Joe Biden reiterated his stance on not ruling out using force to defend Taiwan. This marks the fifth time Biden has expressed willingness to deploy troops to protect Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China has warmly welcomed and expressed gratitude for President Biden’s reaffirmation of the United States’ long-standing security commitment to Taiwan and its strong support for regional peace and stability.
President Biden stated in the interview, “If China attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, the US will not stand by without protecting Taiwan. Therefore, the US will continue to provide Taiwan with capabilities and consult with regional allies.” He also mentioned that in the event of a Chinese invasion, the US would not rule out using military force.
The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that in recent times, China has used normal and routine democratic procedures in democratic countries as an excuse to engage in frequent military pressure, gray zone coercion, and intimidation in the region. This behavior has posed a serious threat to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, arousing high levels of concern in the international community.
“We will steadfastly defend Taiwan’s freedom, democracy, and security and continue to enhance our self-defense capabilities. We will deepen cooperation with like-minded countries such as the United States to safeguard the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and the rules-based international order, and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
China has not abandoned its use of force against Taiwan, as it continues to send aircraft and ships to harass the island on an almost daily basis. The ROC Ministry of National Defense announced that from 6 a.m. on the 4th to 6 a.m. today, Taiwan had detected 26 instances of Chinese aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and intruding into its northern and southwestern airspace, as well as 10 instances of Chinese naval vessels operating in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait. The ROC military is closely monitoring and responding to these activities using airborne and naval systems as well as coastal missile systems.
Since taking office as US president, Biden has publicly stated four times that the US would defend Taiwan if China were to invade. In August 2021, Biden likened Taiwan to NATO allies such as Japan and South Korea, stating that the US has a “sacred commitment” to all of them. On October 21, 2021, Biden reiterated the US commitment to defending Taiwan.
During a visit to Japan in May 2022, Biden was asked during a press conference if he would be willing to use military force to defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Once again, Biden gave an affirmative answer. In September 2022, during an interview with CBS, Biden was asked if the US would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. He responded that if Taiwan were to face an unprecedented attack, the US would deploy troops to defend the island.