U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday said he would agree to use force to protect Taiwan, which would make him grateful to the democratic, self-governing island – but harsh criticism from China.
Asked at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida whether the US would be ready to defend Taiwan if it was attacked, Biden replied, “Yes.”
“That’s the commitment we made,” Biden said. “We agree with the ‘one China’ policy. We got into it. All minister agreements are made there. But the idea that that can be taken by force, taken by force. No, it is not. ”
On his first trip to Japan since taking office, Biden said it was unthinkable for such an event to take place.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry thanked Biden for confirming US support for the island in the event of Beijing’s invasion.
However, China’s Foreign Ministry has expressed “strong dissatisfaction and strong opposition” to the statement, before adding that Beijing has no room for compromise or compromise on issues of territorial integrity and integrity.
“No one should undermine the strong will, the strong will, and the strong will of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and local integrity, and not oppose the 1.4 billion Chinese people,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait, which is only about 100 miles [160 km] wide at its narrowest point. China says Taiwan is part of its territory and has been pressuring the democratic island to accept its rule.