Commentary
By repeatedly stating in public he will defend Taiwan, only to have his commitment “walked back” by White House spokespersons, is President Joe Biden trying to intimidate China, only to cause confusion about the real determination of American defense commitments in Asia?
During a CNN television “Town Hall” on Oct. 21, 2021, and at a press conference in South Korea on May 23, 2022, Biden was asked whether the United States would defend Taiwan. He responded with a simple “yes.”
In both cases, unnamed administration spokespersons would “walk back” Biden’s explicit defense commitment to a country not officially recognized by the United States. On May 23, this spokesman gave an “explanation.”…