BEIJING (Dispatches) -- The Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday that China has lodged “stern representations” with the United States, after U.S. President Joe Biden said U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese unification attempt.
China reserves the right to take all necessary measures in response to activities that split the nation apart, said Mao Ning, spokesperson at the foreign ministry, at a regular media briefing.
“We are willing to do our best to strive for peaceful reunification. At the same time, we will not tolerate any activities aimed at secession,” Mao said.
She also urged the U.S. to handle Taiwan-related issues “carefully and properly”, and not send “wrong signals” to Taiwan separatist forces, warning the United States not to seriously damage Sino-U.S. relations and the peace in the Taiwan Strait.
“There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is part of China, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government of China,” said Mao.
Asked in a CBS 60 Minutes interview broadcast on Sunday whether U.S. forces would defend the self-ruled island claimed by China, Biden replied: “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack.”
Asked to clarify if he meant that unlike in Ukraine, U.S. forces – American men and women – would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese unification attempt, Biden replied: “Yes.”
The interview was just the latest time that Biden has appeared to go beyond long-standing stated U.S. policy on Taiwan, but his statement was clearer than previous ones about sending U.S. troops to the island.
The United States has long stuck to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” and not making clear whether it would respond militarily to an attack on Taiwan.
Asked to comment, a White House spokesperson said U.S. policy towards Taiwan had not changed.
“The President has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made clear then that our Taiwan policy hasn’t changed. That remains true,” the spokesperson said.
The CBS interview with Biden was conducted last week. The president was in Britain for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday.
Back in May, Biden was asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan and replied: “Yes ... That’s the commitment we made.”
In the 60 Minutes interview, Biden reiterated the United States did not support Taiwanese independence and remained committed to a “One-China” policy in which Washington officially recognizes Beijing not Taipei. Beijing was greatly angered by a visit to Taiwan by U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi in August.