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President Joe Biden says the U.S. will defend Taiwan if China stages an « unprecedented attack » on the island, his latest in a string of remarks over the past year that have been unusually explicit about America’s intentions in the face of growing pressure from Beijing.
In an interview with the CBS news show 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday, Biden was asked if U.S. forces would defend Taiwan — a self-ruled democracy that sits roughly 100 miles off the Chinese coast and is claimed by Beijing as part of China.
« Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack, » Biden replied.
Asked again if, unlike in Ukraine, U.S. forces would get involved in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden replied: « Yes. »
On three previous occasions since mid-2021 Biden has made similar public comments suggesting that the U.S. would get involved in a conflict over Taiwan.
Some observers say the remarks contradict a long-standing preference from U.S. administrations for ambiguity on the issue of defending Taiwan, as a way to deter both China and Taiwan from taking steps that could alter the status quo.
