US would intervene militarily if China uses force to take over Taiwan: Biden

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Joe Biden declared on Monday that Washington would intervene militarily if China uses force to take over Taiwan.

“Our policy towards Taiwan has not changed at all. We remain committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait to ensure that there is no unilateral change in the status quo,” Biden said at a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo.

Biden said Beijing was “already flirting with danger by flying so close (Taiwan) and all the maneuvers they are undertaking,” the US president said.

“But the United States is committed, we made a commitment, we support the one-China policy but that does not mean China has the jurisdiction to use force and takeover Taiwan,” Biden said.

Beijing considers Taiwan, home to over 24 million people, as its “breakaway province” and has not ruled out taking control of the island by force.

Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949 with independent diplomatic relations with 14 nations.

Biden said the US and Japan and other nations “stand firmly not to let that happen.”

“My expectation is that it will not happen,” he added.

Responding to a question whether the US will militarily get involved in Taiwan if China uses force to take over the island, Biden replied: “yes.”

“That is the commitment we made,” Biden added.

“We agree with one-China policy… we signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there, but the idea that it can be taken by force is just not appropriate,” the US president said.

On whether Washington will lift any tariffs imposed on Chinese products, Biden said his administration did not impose any of the tariffs.

Discussing rising inflation, food shortages and job creation in the US, Biden said his administration is “considering lifting some tariffs on imports from China.”

In 2018, the administration of former US president Donald Trump had imposed tariffs on some Chinese products.