Asked if the United States was committed to the defense of Taiwan’s sovereign government, Blinken insisted the Administration was committed to ensuring that "Taiwan has the means to defend itself, and we stand by that."
By all standards, Blinken’s boilerplate response failed to answer whether America would directly commit to a defense of the island nation, which has come under increasing threat by the Chinese communist government. The regime's "One China" policy regards Taiwan as a breakaway province without its independence.
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"Are you now saying that the United States would not come to Taiwan’s defense if attacked?" Bash asked. "Can you be specific, yes or no?"
"Dana, again, what I can tell you is that we remain committed, resolutely committed, to our responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act, including making sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself from any aggression," Blinken responded.
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"The president said specifically that the U.S. would [defend Taiwan]," Bash continued. "That’s not what you’re saying, correct?"
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"The president has for a long time, including when he was a senator voting for the Taiwan Relations Act, made clear that we will do everything necessary to make sure that Taiwan has the means to defend itself," Blinken then answered.
During the CNN town hall, President Joe Biden claimed that the U.S. would defend Taiwan. The White House has since walked back Biden's statement "committing" the U.S. to defend Taiwan if China attacked the island.
Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi locked horns over Taiwan on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summits on Sunday, trading warnings against moves that could further escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
In an hour-long meeting in Rome, Blinken made "crystal clear" that Washington opposes any unilateral changes by Beijing to the status quo around Taiwan, a senior State Department Official stated.
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A recent increase in Chinese military exercises in Taiwan's air defence identification zone, including what Taipei said were eight such flights on Sunday, is part of what it views as stepped-up military harassment by Beijing.
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The United States aspires to responsibly manage the intense competition between the world's two largest economies. Both sides acknowledged that open lines of communication are paramount.
Sunday's meeting in Rome was "exceptionally candid" but productive, and will help lay the groundwork for a virtual summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year, the U.S. official said.
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