President Joe Biden said Friday the United States would defend Taiwan if China were to attack. His comment comes in light of tense relations between Beijing and the neighboring island.

The Democrat president responded by saying, "Yes," when asked if the United States would defend Taiwan if China were to attack.

When asked in a CNN town hall about defending Taiwan against China, the Democrat said, "Yes." "We have a commitment to that," he added.

"China, Russia, and the rest of the world know we have the most powerful military in the history of the world," Biden claimed after underscoring the United States had made a "sacred commitment" to defend NATO allies in Canada and Europe. He also asserted that Washington would also defend Japan and South Korea.

Biden is asked what he will do to keep up to China militarily, and can he vow to protect Taiwan: "Yes and yes." pic.twitter.com/HOlDYHwjOq

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 22, 2021

Upon being asked by an audience member at the town hall whether the United States would be able to keep up with China's rapid military development, Biden also claimed the United States would. 

Despite there being a "Cold War" between the world's most powerful economies on several issues, the dispute over Taiwan could be the springboard behind a military conflict between China and the United States.

Mistrust in China

During his testimony at his Senate confirmation hearing as ambassador to Beijing on Wednesday, US diplomat Nicholas Burns said China could not be trusted on Taiwan.

Burns stressed during his testimony the necessity of the United States selling more weapons to Taiwan to enhance its deterrence against China.

Then-commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command had warned in March that China could "invade" Taiwan within six years to achieve their goal of taking over the US role of the biggest military force in the region. 

Chinese-US-Taiwanese relations

The United States severed its ties with Taipei City in 1979 to establish formal diplomatic ties with Beijing. The US closed its embassy in Taipei and severed all diplomatic ties with the island.

China sees that Taiwan, which is off its east coast, is part of its territory. The two Chinese territories split in 1949, during the Chinese Civil War. During the war, the Chinese Communist Party took control of mainland China and the nationalists formed an opposition government in Taiwan.

Relations grew tense between China and the island recently over a comment made by Chinese President Xi Xinping. The leader pledged to peacefully reunify Taiwan with China; however, he did not indicate that Beijing would use force. This received a displeased response from Taipei, as the island asserted that only the people of Taiwan are able to decide their future.