• A White House official quickly walked back the president’s comments, saying U.S. policy toward the self-governing island had not changed
• Speaking during a news conference in Tokyo alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden said Beijing was already “flirting with danger” with its recent military drills and other aggression toward Taiwan, which China views as its own territory.
• The question came up in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• “You didn’t want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons,” a reporter asked. “Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?”
• “Yes,” Biden responded.
• “That’s the commitment we made,” he added.
• Shortly after the president’s comments, a White House official appeared to walk back the declaration that the U.S. could intervene militarily.
• Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the U.S.’s remarks” and warned Washington against supporting “Taiwan independence.”

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