TOKYO, May 23, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - President Joe Biden vowed Monday that US 
forces would defend Taiwan militarily if China attempted to take control of 
the self-ruled island by force, warning Beijing was already "flirting with 
danger".

The remarks, made in Tokyo where he is meeting with Japan's prime minister 
ahead of a regional summit Tuesday, were Biden's strongest to date on the 
issue and come amid rising tensions over China's growing economic and 
military power.

Washington and allies like Japan have framed their tough response to Russia's 
invasion of Ukraine as a warning to others, especially China, against 
unilateral military action.

Biden hammered that message home after talks with Japanese Prime Minister 
Fumio Kishida in which the pair agreed to monitor Chinese naval activity and 
joint Chinese-Russia exercises.

Biden then went further. Asked if Washington was willing to get involved 
militarily to defend Taiwan, he replied: "Yes."

"That's the commitment we made," he added. 

"We agreed with the One China policy, we signed on to it... but the idea that 
it can be taken by force is just not appropriate, it would dislocate the 
entire region and would be another action similar to Ukraine," Biden said.

Biden directly linked the fates of Ukraine and Taiwan, saying Western 
sanctions on Russia must exact a "long-term price" because otherwise "what 
signal does that send to China about the cost of attempting to take Taiwan by 
force?"

He warned Beijing was already "flirting with danger right now by flying so 
close and all the manoeuvres undertaken" -- referring to a growing number of 
Chinese sorties, naval exercises and other power projections in the Taiwan 
Straits.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin swiftly responded, 
declaring that "no one should underestimate the firm resolve, staunch will 
and strong ability of the Chinese people in defending national sovereignty 
and territorial integrity."

"China has no room for compromise or concession," the spokesman said.

- 'Policy has not changed' -

Like most nations, the United States diplomatically recognises Beijing over 
Taiwan. But it also maintains de facto diplomatic ties with the self-ruled, 
democratic island.

For decades it has maintained a policy of "strategic ambiguity" in which it 
never makes clear what it would do in the event of an invasion while agreeing 
to help Taiwan build its defences against attack from Beijing.

The policy was designed both to keep Beijing from declaring war and also to 
stop Taiwan from formally declaring independence.

Biden's remarks Monday overshadowed his rollout of a new, 13-nation regional 
trade framework as well as Tuesday's meeting of the Quad group. 

The White House said that Biden was not diverging from the official "One 
China" policy, which includes the commitment to "provide Taiwan with the 
military means to defend itself".

"Our policy has not changed," the official said.

But Beijing's growing sabre-rattling on the issue, as well as Russia's 
Ukraine invasion, is shaking up the status quo.

Among those augmenting diplomatic support for Taipei is Japan, which has 
regularly warned China against "unilateral" attempts to change the impasse.

Kishida called for stability in the Taiwan Strait and said Tokyo was 
committed to boosting its defence spending, a sensitive subject in a country 
with constitutional limits on its military.

"Japan will fundamentally strengthen its defence capacity, and to back that 
up will significantly increase its defence spending," Kishida said at a joint 
press conference with Biden.

"We don't rule out any options, including (acquiring) the capacity to 
counter-attack," he added.

- Asia trade grouping launched -

Biden is in Japan on the second leg of an Asia trip intended to reinforce 
regional ties and show Washington remains committed to the region despite its 
heavy involvement with the crisis in Ukraine.

He finished his hectic day by joining Kishida and the prime minister's wife 
in an upscale Tokyo restaurant set in a peaceful garden and serving sushi and 
other traditional food.

Earlier, he announced Monday that 13 countries have joined a new, US-led 
Asia-Pacific trade initiative touted as a counterweight to China's aggressive 
expansion.

And on Tuesday, Biden meets with fellow Quad leaders from Japan, Australia 
and India.

He arrived in Tokyo on Sunday after stopping in Seoul for talks with newly 
elected President Yoon Suk-yeol.

While there, Biden said he was willing to meet Kim Jong Un if the leader-for-
life is "sincere", despite the threat of a possible North Korean nuclear test 
hanging over the Asian tour.