US official vows commitment to Taiwan 'defense'

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, on Sunday, that the US will assist Taiwan in "developing the capability to defend itself" against a “Chinese invasion”.

"We're committed to helping Taiwan develop the capability to defend itself," Austin said in an interview with CNN.

Washington has long maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" about whether it would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.

In an interview with CBS last month, Biden said that if there was an "unprecedented attack," US troops would defend Taiwan.

CNN’s Fareed Zakaria asked Austin if the US military was preparing to send troops to Taiwan in response to Biden's comments, but Austin declined to answer.

"The American military is always prepared to protect our interests and live up to our commitments. I think the president was clear in providing his answers as he responded to a hypothetical question," Austin said.

"But, again, we continue to work to make sure that we have the right capabilities in the right places to ensure that we help our allies maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific," he said.

Washington's "strategic ambiguity" is allegedly intended to deter a “Chinese invasion” while also discouraging Taiwan from inciting Beijing by formally declaring independence.

When asked if Biden's comments meant the policy would change, a White House spokesperson said at the time: "The president has previously stated this, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also stated that our Taiwan policy has not changed. That is still true."

Biden was asked whether he would commit US troops to Taiwan during a visit to Japan in May, and he said "yes." "That's the commitment we made," he added.

Austin told CNN he saw no "imminent threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan”.

However, increased military activity across the Taiwan Strait indicated that Beijing was attempting to establish a "new normal," he claimed.

Washington severed formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, recognizing Beijing as China's sole representative. At the same time, the US maintained a decisive, if delicate, role in supplying Taiwan with lethal weapons.

A law passed by Congress requires the United States to sell military supplies to Taiwan in order to ensure its self-defense against Beijing's vastly larger armed forces.

From bad to worse

The situation around Taiwan escalated following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes any direct official foreign contacts with the island.

Pelosi's visit led China to announce ending cooperation with the United States on a number of issues such as climate change, anti-drug efforts, and military talks.

It is noteworthy that the meeting between the two top diplomats was preceded by another meeting between the foreign ministers of the Quad grouping of Australia, India, Japan, and the US, which issued a statement, referring to the Indo-Pacific, saying that "we strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo or increase tensions in the region."

The senior US official claimed that since Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, "China has taken a number of provocative steps that have by design acted to change the status quo."

Another US official confirmed that the US Vice President, Kamala Harris, discussed the Taiwan file during bilateral meetings with Japanese and South Korean leaders during her visit. 

It is noteworthy that Xinhua news agency reported on September 21 that Xi urged for the better use of successful experience in the reform of national defense and the armed forces and striving for new horizons for strengthening the armed forces through reform.

Recent updates reveal that in the last two days, western military activities have been ongoing despite China's warnings of retaliating against further provoking actions.

The US 7th Fleet issued last Tuesday a statement saying that two military warships, a USS Higgins and a Canadian HMSC Vancouver, transited in the "international waters" of the Taiwan Strait.

The term "international waters" has been used by the US and its allies several times to continue their provocations against China.

On his account, Biden has lately said that US soldiers would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese "invasion".

In response, the Chinese Embassy in Washington expressed China's "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the remarks by the US side. The US president has made such remarks several times and every time the administration would clarify that there is no change in its policy on Taiwan." 

This comes after the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee pushed forward last week the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, which will provide Taiwan with $4.5 billion in security aid and a $2 billion loan guarantee for the purchase of military equipment. 

The bill will provide Taiwan with aid over four years, in addition to designating the island as a "Major Non-NATO Ally".

In addition, the legislation will also direct the US government to engage with the Taiwanese government as a legitimate representative of the population on the island, prohibiting restrictions and limits regarding engagements between US officials and their Taiwanese counterparts.