Politico reports:

U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if the island was invaded by China.

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his first trip to Asia since taking office, Biden again voiced concern over China’s growing assertiveness across the region.

Biden suggested that the U.S. would go further on behalf of Taiwan than what it has done for Ukraine, where Washington has provided military help and intelligence assistance but no American troops following the Russian invasion in February.

When asked by a reporter if the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China, Biden responded: “Yes … That’s the commitment we made.”

“We agree with a One China policy,” Biden said. “We’ve signed on to it and all the intended agreements made from there. But the idea that, that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate.”

Biden did play down the possibility that China would try to seize Taiwan, saying that he didn’t expect it to happen.

Biden’s response to the question caused an audible stir in the room, with reporters quickly recognizing he had stepped further away from the strategic ambiguity of U.S. Taiwan policy than presidents are supposed to go. Heads turned away from Biden and to the U.S. delegation that was seated stage right to gauge their reaction. Those there — including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo — did their best to keep facial expressions unfazed though Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, bulged his eyes a bit in apparent surprise. [Continue reading…]

Last week, Politico reported:

U.S. officials are pushing their Taiwanese counterparts with new urgency to look to Ukraine’s success in fending off Russian forces as a blueprint for countering a Chinese attack, former and current U.S. officials tell POLITICO.

But there is little doubt that China is also learning from Russia’s botched invasion as it looks to reunify Taiwan with the mainland — with or without force. Experts say Beijing is likely adjusting its plans for the island to reflect and improve on Russia’s failures.

“There is no question that the perceived reality of the possibility [of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan] is greater than it was three months ago,” said Aaron Friedberg, a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University. But “it’s not a trivial challenge for the Chinese, even as strong as they’ve become.” [Continue reading…]