Taiwan president says he ‘believes’ US will defend island – News

Taiwan’s president said she “believes” the United States will defend the island against China, during an interview broadcast by CNN on Wednesday (27).

“I have confidence” that US forces will help defend Taiwan, he said. Tsai Ing-wenamid rising tensions with Beijing over the island’s future. He noted that “we have extensive cooperation with the United States in order to increase our defense capability.”

In an interview last week, in response to a question about the possibility of US military intervention in defense of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, President Joe Biden answered in the affirmative: “Yes, we are committed to it.”

Biden’s statement appears to contradict the country’s old policy of “strategic ambiguity” through which he will help the White House Taiwan To build and strengthen its defense, but without making explicit promises of support in the event of an attack.

China regards the island, with a population of 23 million, as one of its provinces it hopes to reunite with the rest of the country and has received negative comments from Biden. A few hours later, the US government confirmed that its policy toward Taiwan had not changed.