China: US pledge to 'defend' Taiwan is 'playing with fire'

Washington’s “one-China policy” toward Taiwan is still the same, said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday. Earlier in the day, President Joe Biden said the United States will not allow a "Chinese invasion" of the island, pledging to defend Taiwan militarily being “the commitment we made". 

President Biden drew on commonalities between the case of Ukraine and that of Taiwan if China decided to "take it over by force." He added that "we agreed with the One China policy, we signed on to it... but the idea that it can be taken by force is just not appropriate, it would dislocate the entire region and would be another action similar to Ukraine."

US "playing with fire"

Chinese State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office responded to Biden on the same day and stated that the US is “playing with fire." The vow Biden made to "defend" Taiwan while simultaneously agreeing with the One China policy, shows that Taiwan is the card they are using to contain China, said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the council.

Lloyd unwillingly highlights US contradictions as he reiterates the President and the US’ position on China-Taiwan relations. Lloyd claimed that “as the president said, our One China policy has not changed. He reiterated that policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." Austin continued by saying that the President "also highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act, to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself.”

In other words, the US seeks peace and stability under its own conditions by which its interests in Asia are secured under the Taiwan Relations Act, pledging to protect Taiwan against "Chinese invasion", yet it claims it is committed to its agreement on the One China policy, leaving the world in confusion.