President Joe Biden appeared on CBS’s “60 Minutes” for a rare one-on-one question and answer session over the weekend. It went as expected.
On top of rejecting growing concerns about inflation and his family’s international business ties, America’s leader laid out his presidency’s China-Taiwan policy.
Policy on Taiwan
Biden stated they concur with the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. Taiwan decides on its independence under the ‘One China Policy.’ He said they were not urging Taiwan to be independent; it’s up to them.
Under the “One China Policy,” the US recognizes the PRC as China’s sole government and Taiwan as Chinese territory. The US, however, does not acknowledge PRC’s demands for Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Biden’s words supporting Taiwanese independence are in keeping with U.S. policy, but his following remarks almost certainly angered White House aides. Biden told Scott Pelley of CBS News the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China invaded.
President Biden tells 60 Minutes that U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. However, after our interview, a White House official told us that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed. https://t.co/ANg54LifSH pic.twitter.com/V5qjoqF36T
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 19, 2022
“So, unlike Ukraine, sir, U.S. troops would defend Taiwan if China invaded?” Biden replied “yes” to Pelley’s follow-up question.
After Biden’s statements, Pelley emphasized how a White House source told “60 Minutes” that U.S. policy regarding Taiwan had not altered and, technically, the U.S. would not say if the American military would support Taiwan.
There is no wiggle room in this statement:
On “60 Minutes,” President Biden was asked whether “US forces, US men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.”
“Yes,” Biden said.— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) September 18, 2022
If true, Biden’s comments would change U.S. policy toward Taiwan. For decades, America has employed what’s referred to as strategic vagueness, wherein the U.S. won’t formally confirm whether it will defend Taiwan in the case of a Chinese invasion.
This isn’t the first time Biden has openly indicated U.S. military backing for Taiwan, and the White House had to “clarify” his words.
During a CNN town hall session with Anderson Cooper in October, Biden was asked if the U.S. would protect Taiwan from China.
Not even 24 hours later, a White House source said Biden “wasn’t declaring any policy shift” and said the presidency would “continue to reject unilateral status quo modifications.”
Puppet Biden?
In November 2021, Biden declared Taiwan as “independent,” changing U.S.-Taiwan policy. Biden backtracked less than 24 hours later.
Biden’s Taiwan errors and the White House’s repeated walk backs confirm what many Americans have thought for a year and a half: Biden is not leading the U.S. government.
The president, not unelected officials, has long led U.S. foreign policy. Yet, that’s not the scenario now.
Biden abdicated his obligations to anonymous White House aides, who manage and carry out important policy initiatives while the president runs away to his Delaware beach house.
Unknown, high-level White House officials are pulling Biden’s strings to mold America’s foreign policy.
Biden has repeatedly shown he can’t handle the most basic functions of a fully functioning human, let alone a U.S. president.
Left-wing Americans and the media would dispute Biden’s qualifications under a Republican president, but the Democrats are in power. We have a walker-back-in-chief whose kleptocratic presidency is destroying the country.
This article appeared in The Political Globe and has been published here with permission.
