Speaking in Tokyo on the second day of his visit to Japan, and against the backdrop of growing concern over Chinese military activity in the region, Biden said the United States’ responsibility to protect the self-ruled island – which China considers a renegade province – was “even stronger” after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“That’s the commitment we made,” Biden said, after he told the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, that Washington backed Japan’s permanent membership of a reformed U.N. security council and Tokyo’s plans to beef up its security with record levels of defense spending.
Biden said any attempt by China to use force against Taiwan would “just not be appropriate … it would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine”.
In Beijing, the foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said the Taiwan issue was “a purely internal affair for China”.
“On issues touching on China’s core interests of sovereignty and territorial integrity, China has no room for compromise or concession,” Wang said.
Wang said China would always defend its interests with the force of its 1.4 billion population.
“No one should underestimate the firm resolve, staunch will and strong ability of the Chinese people in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.
The Chinese State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office said the U.S. was “playing with fire”.
Meantime, Biden is meeting with the leaders of Japan, Australia and India in Tokyo on Tuesday for a second in-person summit of the Indo-Pacific Quad countries.
Russia and China tensions are among issues discussed by the Quad leaders.
Guardian and agencies
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