The United States would come to Taiwan's defense and has a commitment to defend the island China claims as its own, U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday, though the White House stated later that there had been no change in policy towards the island.
"Yes, we have a commitment to do that," Biden said at a CNN town hall when asked if the United States would come to the defense of Taiwan, which has complained of mounting military and political pressure from Beijing to accept Chinese sovereignty.
While Washington is required by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, it has long followed a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack.