US ready to use force to defend Taiwan if China invades
US President Joe Biden has said in Tokyo that he would be prepared to use force to defend Taiwan if attacked by China.
REUTERS - LEAH MILLIS
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
US President Joe Biden has declared in Tokyo that he would be ready to use force to defend Taiwan, thus seeming to want to get out of the American policy of “strategic ambiguity” under which Washington helps Taipei to strengthen its defense, but without explicitly promise to come to its aid in the event of an attack by China.
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With our correspondent in Tokyo
,
Frédéric Charles
Joe Biden made this statement at the end of his talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The American president wants to tone up
American strategy in Asia
as Japan is determined to strengthen its military capabilities as part of its alliance with the United States.
The American president thus answered “
yes
” during a press conference, “
if China invades Taiwan, we will come to its defense
”.
Then he brings this nuance: “
We agreed with the policy of one China, but that Taiwan can be taken by force, it is not appropriate.
The Chinese are already flirting with danger by flying so close to Taiwan.
»
Dissuade China from invading Taiwan
This franchise access from Joe Biden relieves Japan, which would be on the front line in the event of an attack on
Taiwan
by
China
.
The last Japanese island, in the very south, is only a hundred kilometers from Taiwan.
Of Russia, Joe Biden says, “
Making Putin pay a high price for his invasion of Ukraine is necessary to deter China from invading Taiwan.
»
Maintain calm economic relations with China
The US president is tough on the diplomatic front with China, but he is looking for appeasement on the economic front.
Joe Biden is ready to lift certain tariff barriers vis-à-vis China.
Big American business wants neither an economic war nor a military war with China.
►
To read: Joe Biden's support for Taiwan, during his trip to Japan, irritates China
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United States
Japan
China
Joe Biden
Fumio Kishida