In an interview with Time magazine, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, issued a strong warning to China by stating that he does not rule out the use of the US armed forces to defend Taiwan against a possible invasion by the Asian giant. These statements represent a hardening of Washington’s position in relation to one of the most delicate and explosive issues on the global geopolitical table.
When asked whether the United States would defend Taiwan in a scenario of Chinese aggression, the US president pointed out that there is “a distinction between deployment on the ground, air power and naval power,” clarifying that the response “would depend on the circumstances”. However, Biden made clear that he has conveyed to Chinese President Xi Jinping the historic US policy of not supporting Taiwan independence, but that he will defend the island “if China attempts to unilaterally change” the current status quo.
America’s options
This defiant position by Biden comes in a context of growing tensions between the two superpowers, in which Washington has reinforced its network of alliances in Asia, particularly with Japan and the Philippines. Both countries, strategically located opposite Taiwan, have granted access to key military bases to the US military, which would make them nerve centers in the event of a possible conflict.
Analysts highlight that these bases, added to the facilities in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, would be crucial in any defense of Taiwan, although it would also put them in the crosshairs of China’s powerful missile arsenal. Both Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have expressed concern about their countries’ geographical proximity to Taiwan, stating that an emergency on the island would also represent a crisis for their respective nations.
Fear of an attack from China
In recent years, fear of a war over Taiwan has grown alongside the growth of Chinese military power, with some senior US military commanders warning that Beijing could be ready to invade the island in 2027. Although Biden has repeatedly broken with the position of “strategic ambiguity” that the United States has historically maintained on Taiwan, its recent statements come a few days after Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu attacked Washington for provoking friction with Beijing due to its support for the island.
In a speech to a major regional security conference in Singapore on Sunday, Li called Taiwan a “core issue” for China and accused the United States of raising tensions through its support for the island. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province that must join the mainland, by force if necessary.
The future of the island and China’s doubts
Although the United States switched diplomatic recognition of Taiwan to China in 1979, it has maintained unofficial relations with the island and is required by law to supply it with weapons to help it defend itself. However, Washington has long adopted a strategy of “strategic ambiguity” designed not only to deter Beijing from using force against Taiwan, but also to deter Taipei from seeking formal independence, allowing it to maintain ties with both.
Amid these geopolitical tensions, Biden also took aim at the growing economic concerns facing China, citing factors such as its aging population. “Where is it going to grow? Its economy is on the brink of the abyss. The idea that your economy is booming? Please,” said the US president, who has maintained and even increased tariffs on a series of Chinese exports, in addition to imposing onerous measures on its technology sector.
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