Biden's "Military Intervention" Remark Followed by US Warship Passing Through Taiwan Strait Two Days Later

(Photo by U.S. Navy)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Two days after U.S. President Joe Biden's remarks on Taiwan's defense, U.S. and Canadian warships simultaneously navigated the Taiwan Strait.

On the 20th (local time), according to CNN, Mark Langford, a U.S. Navy spokesperson, stated that the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Higgins cooperated with the Royal Canadian Navy's frigate HMCS Vancouver to regularly transit the Taiwan Strait.

Spokesperson Langford said, "The two warships passed through the strait's passage outside the territorial waters of any specific coastal state," adding, "This transit demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

This transit marks three weeks since the last U.S. Navy warship passage through the Korea Strait. The U.S. Navy guided missile cruisers USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville passed through the Taiwan Strait on the 28th of last month.

This is the first simultaneous navigation by U.S. and Canadian warships in about 11 months. CNN also reported that Daniel Le Bouthillier, the Canadian Northern Department's media officer, confirmed Canada's participation in this Taiwan Strait transit. Le Bouthillier said, "Following port visits to Indonesia and the Philippines, we passed through the Taiwan Strait," adding, "This was conducted in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

Although U.S. authorities described this transit as "routine," it is noteworthy that it occurred immediately after President Biden stated that the U.S. would militarily intervene if China invades Taiwan.

In an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" the previous day, when asked whether U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, President Biden responded, "Yes, if there is an unprecedented attack."

President Biden also answered "Yes" to a reporter's question about military intervention to defend Taiwan during a joint press conference following the U.S.-Japan summit held in Tokyo on May 23.

Since August last year, President Biden has made similar remarks four times, leading to observations that all mentions of military intervention are "intentional statements" and that the U.S. Taiwan policy is shifting from "strategic ambiguity" to "strategic clarity."

CNN cited a U.S. defense official reporting that since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the third highest-ranking U.S. official, visited Taiwan early last month, the number of Chinese warships and submarines around Taiwan has sharply increased.

On the same day, Sui, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army responsible for Taiwan, condemned the passage of U.S. and Canadian warships through the Taiwan Strait, stating, "The United States and Canada have carried out provocative acts of an ugly nature and cooperated to stir up trouble," adding, "This seriously endangers peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

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