China says Biden's '79-year-old' Taiwan remark was not a slip of the tongue

Policy Shift from US Strategic Ambiguity to Strategic Clarity... Military and Economic Measures to Be Taken
Russia Supporting China Firmly Upholds the 'One China' Principle

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Cho Young-shin] China strongly opposed U.S. President Joe Biden's remarks on military intervention in Taiwan. On the 18th (local time), in an in-depth interview program '60 Minutes' aired on CBS, President Biden was asked whether he would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, to which he replied, "If there is an unprecedented attack, we will do so."

Photo by Global Times capture

On the 20th, China's state-run Global Times published an article titled "Biden's Taiwan Defense Remarks Violate Promise to China," harshly criticizing the U.S. government by suggesting that Biden's remarks indicate a shift in the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity. The outlet claimed that Biden's comments were not merely another verbal slip by the 79-year-old president but reflected a process of change in U.S. policy maintained for decades. It explained that the policy is shifting from strategic ambiguity to strategic clarity regarding the Taiwan issue.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also strongly opposed the remarks. Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular briefing the previous day, "The United States seriously violated the 'One China' principle, the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and its promise not to support Taiwan independence," condemning the remarks as sending a serious wrong signal to Taiwan separatist forces. He added, "China will not tolerate any activities that divide the country," warning, "Do not underestimate the firm determination of 1.4 billion Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Chinese authorities are taking issue with President Biden's statement about deploying troops to defend Taiwan, unlike the situation in Ukraine. When asked about military support and other methods related to troop deployment, Biden answered, "Yes."

Professor Shin Chang of Fudan University pointed out, "President Biden answered twice when asked twice about defending Taiwan," noting that Biden has never given such a clear answer on the Taiwan issue before. He expressed concern that "this is not Biden's personal view but represents the position of the White House team and the U.S. Congress," suggesting a high possibility that Biden will sign the Taiwan Policy Act.

The Global Times evaluated Biden's remarks as indicating a shift from strategic ambiguity to strategic clarity on the Taiwan issue, which targets mainland China comprehensively.

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping said, "The U.S. is trying to link Taiwan to hegemony issues," adding, "China must prepare for the worst-case scenario of direct U.S. military intervention in Taiwan."

Russia also joined the discourse on the Taiwan issue. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Russian National Security Council (NSC), who attended the 17th China-Russia Strategic Security Negotiations, told Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party responsible for foreign affairs, "Russia firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan issue," emphasizing that China is Russia's top diplomatic priority.

During this negotiation, China and Russia reportedly agreed on cooperation measures, including strengthening joint military exercises. Regarding the 17th China-Russia Strategic Security Negotiations, Chinese state media emphasized that high-level security talks between China and Russia hold significant meaning amid increasing global uncertainty, and that the China-Russia relationship based on trust will benefit not only regional but also global economic development.

Some in China predict that pressure on China from the U.S. political sphere will intensify ahead of the November midterm elections. With China's 20th Party Congress scheduled for next month, China is also likely to respond to the U.S., suggesting that political confrontations between the U.S. and China will escalate further.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.