Latest Taiwan Gaffe Stokes Tensions With Beijing

US president Joe Biden says 'Yes' when asked if willing to defend Taiwan.
US would defend island militarily. President is seeking to show US resolve against China.
It cast new light on Washington’s decades-old approach of “strategic ambiguity” about whether US forces would defend Taiwan against China.

However, White House officials later walked back the remark, saying the president was only promising US aid to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of hostilities. Although the promise is unlikely to fundamentally alter the US-China relationship, it highlights the current tension around Taiwan at a time when Chinese officials have expressed concern about American efforts to box in their country. 

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