Hours after US President Joe Biden vowed to defend Taiwan against China, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Friday said he would not "engage in hypotheticals" regarding Washington's response to Beijing's possible attack on Taipei.
"I won't engage in any hypotheticals," Austin was quoted as saying by Sputnik during a NATO press conference when asked about Washington's reaction to the possible attack.
"We remain committed to the One China policy ... As we've done under multiple administrations, we will continue to help Taiwan with resource and capabilities it needs to defend itself," the Pentagon chief assured.
US President Biden on Thursday (local time) said that the United States would come to Taiwan's defence if it came under attack by China.
"Yes, we have a commitment to do that," Biden said during a CNN town hall meeting. He made these remarks when asked if the United States would defend Taiwan if China attack the country.
Earlier this month, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that mainland China may be fully prepared to attack the island by 2025. This comment comes as more than 150 Chinese military aircraft breached Taiwan's air defence zone, since early October for drills.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan despite the island's self-governance for over seven decades. Meanwhile, Taipei continues to counter the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US.
( With inputs from ANI )
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