In the past, President Joe Biden has repeatedly said the United States would defend Taiwan if the Chinese regime attacked the self-ruled democratic island. In May 2022, he said the United States would “get involved militarily” to defend Taiwan, saying, “That’s the commitment we made.” In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes in September 2022, President Biden repeated that U.S. forces would defend Taiwan if “there was an unprecedented attack.”
After each incident, White House spokespersons often clarified that U.S. policy towards Taiwan had not changed.
The United States, like most countries, has no formal ties with Taiwan, but it is the island’s most important international backer and arms provider.
On Jan. 13, about 14 million Taiwanese voters went to the polls to select a new president and legislature. Lai Ching-te, the current vice president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was elected the next president after picking up 40 percent of the votes. Mr. Lai’s victory gave the DPP—which China sees as a threat to its goal of taking over Taiwan—a third consecutive four-year term in power.
In the interview, the former House Speaker preferred using President Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy approach, “peace through strength.”
“The stronger we are with Taiwan, the stronger the world is and the safer the world becomes,” Mr. McCarthy said.
“But these mixed messages by the president of the free world to say one thing, walk back, and to say another. He should have just congratulated the new president. China doesn’t have to determine who the president of Taiwan is. The people of Taiwan get to determine that,” Mr. McCarthy continued.
In April 2023, Mr. McCarthy met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California during her stopover following a visit to Central America. The meeting marked a historic milestone as Mr. McCarthy became the top U.S. leader to meet a Taiwanese president on American soil in many years.
The meeting was hosted at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library despite threats of a retaliatory response from the Chinese regime. Beijing always views Taiwan’s exchange with U.S. politicians as a signal for support of the independence of the self-governing island. During the meeting, Mr. McCarthy noted that the bond between the two countries had “never been stronger” as the self-rule island received bipartisan support from U.S. politicians.
In contrast to President Biden’s remarks, Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement extending congratulations to Mr. Lai on his victory. “The United States congratulates Dr. Lai Ching-te on his victory in Taiwan’s presidential election. We also congratulate the Taiwan people for once again demonstrating the strength of their robust democratic system and electoral process.”
Mr. Blinken stated that Washington is “committed to maintaining cross-Strait peace and stability, and the peaceful resolution of differences, free from coercion and pressure.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese regime Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: “Taiwan independence has never been possible … anyone on the island of Taiwan who wants to pursue Taiwan independence or split China’s territory will be severely punished by history and law.”
In a statement released late on Saturday, an official from China’s foreign ministry said: “The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair. Whatever changes take place in Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China will not change.”
