The top spy chief pointed to “clear” comments President Joe Biden has made about defending Taiwan militarily in a Chinese invasion despite the White House insisting the U.S. posture of “strategic ambiguity” has not changed.
Biden has repeatedly vowed that the United States would respond militarily to defend Taiwan if China attacked the democratic island nation. Each time, the White House has subsequently insisted America’s decadeslong policy toward Taiwan was not shifting. Biden has said the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily at least four times — in August and October 2021 and in May and September 2022.
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was grilled on this during a Thursday hearing in front of the House Intelligence Committee, and the DNI said the U.S. position has been clearly conveyed by Biden.
Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) told Haines on Thursday that “we have this policy of strategic ambiguity which has served us well,” but “I wonder if it’s not time for us to declare another policy, a new policy, and that is: We will defend Taiwan.” Stewart noted that “it’s pretty clear the president seems to think that” and emphasized his view that “if we’re going to deter, I think we need to be clear in saying, yes, we will defend Taiwan militarily if we have to.”
The congressman asked Haines if he was wrong and if there had been a change in U.S. policy.
“I’m obviously not in a position to comment on policy, but I certainly — I think you’re right in recognizing the president’s comments on this issue, and that that has been a pretty strong statement,” Haines said.
When asked if she agreed that there would be stronger deterrence if U.S. adversaries such as China knew that the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily if necessary, Haines replied, “In this particular case, I think it is clear to the Chinese what our position is, based on the president’s comments.”
Just a few days after the Taliban took Kabul in August 2021, Biden vowed to George Stephanopoulos that the U.S. would “respond” to any possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Biden argued, “We made a sacred commitment to Article V that if, in fact, anyone were to invade or take action against our NATO allies, we would respond. Same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with Taiwan.”
There was and is no such mutual defense treaty with Taiwan, and the White House walked back Biden’s remarks. It quickly became a pattern.
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Taiwan, known as the Republic of China, is an independent island nation off the coast of mainland China. The Chinese Communist Party has long sought to bring the territory under its control, while Taiwan is self-governed and receives U.S. defense support despite not being formally recognized.
Nicholas Burns, now Biden’s ambassador to China, argued during his confirmation hearing in October 2021 that the strategic ambiguity strategy is “time-tested” and remains “the smartest and most effective way” to deter China.
Shortly thereafter, during a CNN town hall, Biden repeated his vow that the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted then that Biden’s comments did not deviate from U.S. policy.
“There has been no shift,” Psaki said. “The president was not announcing any change in our policy, nor has he made any decision to change our policy. There is no change in our policy.”
When it was pointed out that Biden’s words were clear, Psaki insisted, “He was not intending to convey a change in policy nor has he made a decision on changing policy.”
Biden was then asked by the press in May 2022 whether the U.S. would get directly involved militarily if China invaded Taiwan, unlike how the U.S. responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden said “yes” and that “that's the commitment we made.”
The president repeated this in September 2022 during an interview with 60 Minutes for CBS News, repeatedly answering “yes” that U.S. military forces would defend Taiwan if China invaded.
Ahead of his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in November 2022, Biden was asked if he would tell China’s strongman that the U.S. was committed to defending Taiwan. Biden dodged a bit.
“The Taiwan doctrine has not changed at all from the very beginning — the very beginning. So, I’m sure we’ll discuss China — excuse me, Taiwan,” the president said. When pressed on it again, Biden added, “I’m going to have that conversation with him.”
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), the chairman of the newly formed House select committee on China, said last month that Taiwan views Russia’s war in Ukraine as a fate that could await them if they don’t take the proper steps needed to defend their island nation from a potential Chinese invasion.
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Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang defended the China-Russia alliance in the context of Taiwan on Tuesday.
“The Taiwan question is the core of the core interests of China, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations,” Qin warned. “Why does the U.S. ask China not to provide weapons to Russia while it keeps selling arms to Taiwan?”