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Joe Biden insists US policy on Taiwan has not changed
- US President says policy of ‘strategic ambiguity’ has not changed a day after he said he was willing to use force to defend the island
- Some critics have suggested Biden misspoke, but other analysts believe he was well aware of what he was doing
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Joe Biden on Tuesday said there was no change to the US policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan, a day after he appeared to stretch the limits of Washington’s line on the island by saying he would be willing to use force to defend it.
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The issue of Taiwan looms over a meeting in Tokyo of leaders of the Quad grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India, who have stressed their determination to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of an increasingly assertive China.
While Washington is required by law to provide self-ruled Taiwan with the means to defend itself, it has long followed a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on whether it would intervene militarily to protect it in the event of an attack by Beijing – a convention Biden had appeared to break with on Monday.
On Tuesday, Biden, asked if there had been any change to the US policy on Taiwan, responded: “No.”
“The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday,” he said after a round of talks with his Quad colleagues.
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Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and says it is the most sensitive and important issue in its relationship with Washington.
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