Jake Sullivan says Biden answering a ‘hypothetical question’ on Taiwan invasion

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that President Joe Biden was answering a ‘hypothetical question’ when the president told 60 Minutes he would come to the defense of Taiwan if China attacked.  

‘He was asked a question, a hypothetical question in this interview,’ Sullivan said at the White House press briefing. ‘He gave a similar answer in Tokyo in May that he gave in the 60 Minutes interview,’ Sullivan pointed out. 

Sullivan reminded reporters that after Biden had been asked about Taiwan in Tokyo ‘someone said specifically to him, “Have you just announced a major policy change?” and he said, “No, I have not, I have answered a hypothetical question. I have not announced a policy change.”‘

‘When the president of the United States wants to announce a policy change he will do so. He has not done so,’ Sullivan said. 

During a segment on 60 Minutes, which aired Sunday, Biden answered ‘yes’ when asked whether ‘U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.’ 

‘Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack,’ Biden said.  

President Joe Biden said during a 60 Minutes interviefw that aired Sunday that ‘yes,’ U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of an ‘unprecedented attack’

China considers Taiwan part of China, while Taiwan has its own democratic government – a split that came after the 1949 civil war that ended with the Communists taking over the mainland. The U.S. doesn’t officially recognize Taiwan’s government, but sells Taipei arms. 

Biden’s comments further irritated the Chinese, with Beijing saying Monday that the ‘U.S. remarks’ violated the longstanding policy of the U.S. not supporting Taiwan’s independence. 

‘China strongly deplores and rejects it and has made solemn complaints with the U.S. side,’ spokeswoman Mao Ning said, according to The Associated Press. 

Sullivan said Tuesday that U.S. support for the so-called One China policy remains steadfast.  

‘Well as the president has said in his interview with 60 Minutes, we continue to stand behind the One China policy, we continue to stand against unilateral changes to the status quo and we continue to stand for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,’ Sullivan said. 

‘The president has reiterated those basic commitments on every occasion that he’s talked about Taiwan, including in this interview,’ Sullivan said, pointing to the 60 Minutes sit-down. ‘Where he specifically and emphatically and unequivocally reinforced and reiterated the One China policy.’ 

At the briefing, Sullivan was asked in a follow-up if Biden’s comments should be considered strategic deterrence – if by answering a hypothetical he was ‘delivering an explicit message’ to Beijing.

‘Well, all I will say is the president is a direct and straightforward person,’ Sullivan answered. ‘He answered a hypothetical. He’s answered it before in a similar way.  And he has also been clear that he does not, has not, changed U.S. policy towards Taiwan.’

‘He stands behind the historic U.S. policy towards Taiwan that has existed through Democratic and Republican administrations and has helped keep peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for decades,’ the national security adviser added. 

During his visit to Tokyo in May, Biden answered ‘yes,’ adding ‘that’s a commitment we made,’ when asked by a reporter if he’s be willing to get involved militarily if China invaded Taiwan. 

‘But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not appropriate,’ Biden said. ‘It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.’  

‘My expectation is it will not happen, it will not be attempted,’ the president added. 

The White House was asked almost immediately to clarify Biden’s comments and an unnamed official responded by saying ‘our policy has not changed.’  

‘He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself,’ the official said. 

More recently though, China ramped up military exercises near Taiwan around House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to visit the self-ruled island in August. 

She was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit since House Speaker Newt Gingrich made the trip in 1997. 

Since Pelosi’s trip, a number of U.S. lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have visited Taiwan in a show of support.