Originally Posted by
Asturias56
Someone needs to sort this out:-
BBC - President Joe Biden said the US would defend Taiwan if China attacked, in an apparent departure from a long-held US foreign policy position.
But a White House spokesman later told some US media outlets that his remarks did not signify a change in policy.
The US has a law which requires it to help Taiwan defend itself.
But it has been deliberately vague about what it would actually do if China were to attack Taiwan, in what is known as "strategic ambiguity".
China has yet to respond to Mr Biden's comments.
What did Biden and the White House say?
He was then queried a second time by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper if the US would come to Taiwan's defence in the event of an attack by China. Mr Biden replied: "Yes, we have a commitment to do that."
Yeah. And he's right to say nothing more than that. Don't get into details, leave it vague.
A White House spokesperson later appeared to walk back Mr Biden's comments, telling US media outlets that the US was "not announcing any change in our policy and there is no change in our policy".
(1) Typical political double speak
(2) Joe B is pretty good at saying stuff that may be off script. (must drive his handlers mad)
(3) The Chinese will hear what they want to hear, and disregard the rest.