Is Joe Biden set to end the guessing game about what US will do if Taiwan is invaded?
- US policy has been to keep Beijing uncertain about its intentions, but there is a growing debate about whether it is better to send a clear warning
- New administration in Washington has shown its support for Taipei as relations with China continue to deteriorate
The Biden administration’s displays of support for Taiwan have led many to wonder if the decades-old policy of strategic ambiguity is coming to an end.
But observers said that while the Biden administration might want to deepen its relations with Taipei, there is no indication of a more fundamental shift and it is still trying not to provoke Beijing when it comes to the sensitive issue of mobilising troops to defend Taiwan.
On Wednesday, Biden sent his long-time friend and former US senator Chris Dodd to Taiwan for a three-day “unofficial” visit, during which he relayed the US president’s concerns over security in the Taiwan Strait and reaffirmed the Biden administration’s support for the island.
Later that week, Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga issued a joint statement following their meeting in Washington that included a call for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait problems.
