(North Woodstock) Joe Biden on Tuesday vowed not to promote Taiwan’s independence, clarifying new ambiguous views that could have deviated from the U.S. traditional position on the island claimed by China.
During a visit to New Hampshire during a virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, the US president responded positively to reporters’ questions about possible progress on Taiwan’s question.
“Yes, we have made it very clear that we support Taiwanese law, and that is all,” he said.
The Taiwan Relations Act is a law passed by the US Congress in 1979 that governs US policy in this area: that is, Washington recognizes only one China, while providing arms for Taiwan’s defense.
But Joe Biden added that Taiwan seems to be talking about: “He’s independent. He makes his own decisions.”
The formation risked provoking Beijing’s anger, while President Xi warned during their virtual meeting that working for the island’s independence was “playing with fire”.
“We do not promote freedom. We urge them to do what Taiwanese law provides, ”the US president later clarified. “I said they should make decisions about Taiwan, not us.”
Joe Biden reiterated that the United States does not want to change policy “in any way.”
On Monday evening, Washington warned that it was “firmly opposed” to “a unilateral attempt to change the status quo or to undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”. ‘Address to Taiwanese leaders.
The Democrat leader had already sown trouble in October by insisting that Washington have a “commitment” to militarily defend Taipei in the event of a Chinese attack. He seemed to have broken with the traditional “strategic ambiguity” of the United States, which they never made clear whether they would intervene during the invasion of Beijing – the way to keep the peace. Since the Taiwanese rulers declared formal independence.
The White House already had to rectify the situation by making sure there was no change in strategy.
