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President US Joe Biden has said he is ready to use force if China decides to resort to attacking Taiwan. However, he hopes that China will not take such a step.
Joe Biden went on a working visit to Japan. There, he is scheduled to participate in the summit of a group of countries of the Quadripartite Security Dialogue, which includes Japan, India, Australia and the United States. Perhaps the main security issue in the Asian region now is the situation around Taiwan.
During a conversation with reporters, Biden was asked if he was ready for military intervention to protect Taiwan. The American president gave an affirmative answer, saying that this was “an obligation that we made.”
It is worth noting that the journalist actually opposed the situation in Ukraine and Taiwan to the question. After all, after Russia's military invasion of the territory of Ukraine, although the United States supplies us with a lot of weapons, they themselves do not interfere in the military conflict.
Biden also stressed that now all countries are working to convey to China the impossibility of seizing Taiwan. As well as the consequences that official Beijing will expect because of this. And if this idea is successfully conveyed, then there will be an opportunity to avoid an invasion.
At the same time, the American president noted that China is flirting with the danger in Taiwan by flying close to the island.
Position on “one China”
At the same time, Joe Biden said that his administration will continue to adhere to the principle of “one China”. He agreed on this with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
China considers Taiwan its territory, which, if necessary, can be seized by force. Taiwan claims to be an independent country and will defend its freedoms and democracy.
At the same time, the United States is actively helping Taiwan's defense by supplying weapons.
Consequently, Biden said, that the notion that Taiwan can be taken by force is simply unacceptable.
Taiwan fears
Taiwan seceded from mainland China after the Communist Party seized power in the country. Then representatives of the nationalist party, known as the Kuomintang, fled to the island, where they declared their independence from Beijing. China has a different opinion – they consider Taiwan a “breakaway province” that will soon return.
After Russia launched a war against Ukraine, many countries realized that there is no leverage over an enemy that threatens your independence. Taiwan, which is threatened by China, also faces such a challenge. It did not come to a direct military invasion, but in 2021 a record number of Chinese military aircraft were recorded that violated the airspace of Taiwan. This island is 100 kilometers from the mainland.
Taiwan has already said that relations with China are now the worst in the last 40 years.
At the same time, China said that comparing the situation with Russia's war against Ukraine and their relationship with Taiwan is inappropriate. After all, if Ukraine is an independent state, then most consider Taiwan to be the territory of China, even the United States.
Taiwan is important for its location. Many trade routes in Asia pass by.
