Enlarge image
US President Joe Biden
Photo: Susan Walsh / dpa
If China attacks Taiwan, the US military would intervene directly: US President Joe Biden has again pledged military support to Taipei in the event of war.
"Yes, if there were an unprecedented attack," Biden said in a TV interview aired Sunday night when asked, "Would US forces defend the island?"
Biden took questions from Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes in Thursday's recorded interview.
Pelley pressed again: "So unlike Ukraine, to be clear: US forces (...) would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?" Biden again answered in the affirmative.
Clarification from the White House
Pelley explained on the show that after interviewing Biden, the White House clarified that US policy had not changed and the US would not officially say whether American forces would defend Taiwan.
Biden made similarly clear statements on a trip to Japan in May, saying that the United States has an "obligation" to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack.
At the beginning of August, US top politician Nancy Pelosi caused tensions with China with a trip to Taiwan.
The communist leadership in Beijing regards Taiwan as part of the People's Republic and threatens to conquer it.
The United States has committed itself to Taiwan's ability to defend itself - which has so far primarily meant arms deliveries.
The question of military assistance in the event of an attack was deliberately left open because Beijing would see this as a violation of the "One China Doctrine".
col/dpa