On Monday, President Biden announced that the United States would be willing to militarily defend the independent country of Taiwan against a Chinese invasion, and that it is important that Russian President Vladimir Putin face consequences for the Russian invasion of Ukraine because it will deter China from invading Taiwan.
“Our policy toward Taiwan has not changed at all,” Biden said. “We remain committed to supporting the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and ensuring that there is no unilateral change to the status quo.”
“I would add that one of the reasons why it’s so important that Putin pay a dear price for his barbarism in Ukraine: The idea that on your station today and every other station in America they’re showing bombings of every school — no — no military purpose — schools, hospitals, daycare centers, all the things, museums — blowing up all the museums. I believe what Putin is attempting to do is eliminate the identity of Ukraine — the identity. He can’t occupy it, but he can try to destroy its identity,” Biden continued. “And the reason I bother to mention that is: He has to pay and Russia has to pay a long-term price for that, in terms of the sanctions that have been imposed.”
Biden added that “it’s not just about Ukraine” because if “these sanctions are not continued to be sustained in many ways, then what signal does that send to China about the cost of attempting — attempting to take Taiwan by force? They’re already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers they’ve undertaken.”
“You didn’t want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons,” a reporter said. “Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that?”
“Yes,” Biden answered. “That’s the commitment we made. That’s the commitment we made. We are not — Look, here’s the situation: We agree with the One China policy; we’ve signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there. But the idea that — that it can be taken by force — just taken by force — is just not a — is just not appropriate. It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in — in Ukraine. And so, it’s a burden that is even stronger.”
