A MAJOR COMMITMENT – OVERNIGHT:  President Biden appears to be committing the United States to defend Taiwan.  We have no written commitment, and no treaty to that effect, so this may constitute a change in policy, or it may not.  We need clarity here, and we're not getting it.  From Fox: 

President Biden stated that the U.S. will send the military to defend Taiwan if the People's Republic of China were to invade the island nation.

"Very quickly, you didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?" a reporter asked the president during a news conference in Japan.

"Yes," Biden replied.

"You are?" the reporter pressed.

"That's the commitment we made," the president said.

A White House spokesperson told Fox News that the administration's policy "has not changed."

"As the President said, our policy has not changed," the spokesperson said. "He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself."

The "One China policy" refers to the U.S. recognition of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, but only acknowledges, without endorsing, Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin considers Ukraine a part of historic Russia, and Xi considers Taiwan a part of China.

In October, Biden said the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacks. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson responded by saying, "No one should underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China has no room for compromise."

China launched military exercises in the disputed South China Sea as Biden's trip to East Asia began Friday. 

Asia expert Gordon Chang, author of ‘The Great US-China Tech War," said the Biden administration is trying to backtrack previous indications that America fears China by proceeding with Taiwan discussions in the face of public warnings from Chinese officials.

Chang told "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday that China's recent military drill is "connected" to Biden's Asia visit because his joint statement with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned Taiwan directly. 

"They are connected because, before Biden touched down in South Korea – the first stop on the trip – the Chinese publicly warned him not to talk about Taiwan and so there was the joint statement between President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, which specifically mentions Taiwan," Chang said. "There are going to be a lot of Taiwan discussions in Japan, the second and last stop on this trip - and so really what the United States was saying to Beijing is, "'I'm not afraid of you anymore.'"

COMMENT:  Okay, we back the president on that.  We should never signal weakness to the Chinese, who are not friendly.   At the same time, the American people must understand exactly what Biden is talking about when he says we will intervene militarily if China invades Taiwan.  Words have meanings.  How far does our commitment go?  Equipment?  Troops?  Good wishes?

Congress will want to have a say.

The United States has fought two bitter wars in Asia – in Korea, and in Vietnam.  The costs were high, the outcomes open to interpretation.  This site favors a defense of Taiwan as an entity independent of China.  But we want all the details.

May 22, 2022