US President Biden said the use of military force to defend Taiwan cannot be ruled out

In an interview published in Time magazine on Tuesday, Biden said he made clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping that the United States would not seek Taiwan's independence, as Washington had agreed with Beijing, reports Focus Taiwan.

In an exclusive interview with the magazine at the White House on May 28, he said, “The use of US military force cannot be ruled out. There is a difference between ground deployment, air power and naval power.”

Biden said that if China tries to unilaterally change the status quo, “we will continue to supply (Taiwan).” The US President said, “We are consulting with our allies in the region.”

Asked whether U.S. forces would launch strikes from their bases in Japan or the Philippines, Biden said, “I can't get into that. If I tell you, you'll criticize me, with good reason.”

The Time article quoted US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns as saying that Xi has instructed his country's military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027.

Tensions remain between the US and China over Taiwan, while Biden and Xi have agreed to reduce tensions.

Beijing regards Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te, who was sworn in on May 20, as a “separatist” and a supporter of Taiwan independence.

Days after Lai Ching-te was sworn in, China on Thursday began two days of military exercises encircling Taiwan in what it called “punishment” for so-called “separatist acts,” CNN reports.

The reason behind China's action is Lai's inaugural speech in which he called on Beijing to stop intimidating the island nation, which China claims as its own.

The United States maintains informal relations with Taiwan and provides arms to help the island maintain an adequate self-defense capability.

Talking about the Chinese economy, Biden told Time magazine. “Where is it coming from? Where is it going? You have an economy that's on the brink. The idea that their economy is booming? Give me a break.”

In the interview with the US magazine, Biden also called China's Belt and Road global infrastructure drive a “nuisance graveyard initiative.”

The US President said that enhancing cooperation with our European and Asian allies and strengthening ties with developing countries will be important to maintain America's leadership in the international community.

A trilateral ministerial meeting was held in Singapore on June 2, attended by US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, Japan's Defense Minister Kihara Minoru, and South Korea's National Defense Minister Shin Won-sik. The three officials said their countries' positions on Taiwan have not changed and that regional peace is “an essential element of security and prosperity in the international community.”

He also called for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.

Austin met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on Friday, the first face-to-face talks between the defence chiefs of the two countries since November 2022. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Shangi-La Dialogue, raised concerns over China's “provocative” military activities near Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the United States House Appropriations Committee on Monday introduced a bill to provide US$500 million in foreign military funding to Taiwan to strengthen deterrence in the Taiwan Strait.

According to the committee, the fiscal year 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill also provides loans and loan guarantees of up to US$2 billion to Taiwan for the same purpose, as reported in Focus Taiwan.