Secretary of State Antony Blinken refused to say whether or not the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China invaded on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.
Referencing a statement made by President Joe Biden at a CNN town hall last week that the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense amid a Chinese invasion, Bash asked Blinken, “Has the U.S. committed directly to the Taiwanese government that it will come to Taiwan’s defense if China invades?” (RELATED: Taiwan Confirms US Troops Are On The Island, China Responds In Anger)
Blinken dodged the question by answering, “There is no change in our policy. We’ve had a long standing commitment … pursuant to the Taiwan Relations Act to make sure that Taiwan has the means to defend itself and we stand by that.”
The Taiwan Relations Act is a policy of the U.S. that “preserves and promotes extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan, as well as the people on the China mainland and all other people of the Western Pacific area.” The policy went into effect in 1979.
Bash pressed Blinken on the topic again, asking for a specific answer. “Are you saying the United States would not come to Taiwan’s defense if attacked?” she asked. “What I can tell you is that we remain committed, resolutely committed, to our responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act, including making sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself from any aggression,” Blinken replied.
In a final attempt, Bash asked again, “The president said specifically that the U.S. would [come to Taiwan’s defense], that’s not what you’re saying, correct?”
Blinken, dodging the question for a third time, reiterated his previous answer that Biden had “made clear that we will do everything necessary to make sure that Taiwan has the means to defend itself.”