INTERNATIONAL: U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday 23 May, he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan against Chinese aggression in a comment that seemed to stretch the limits of the ambiguous U.S. policy towards the self-ruled island.

A reporter asked Biden if the United States would defend Taiwan if it were attacked. "Yes," the president answered.

"That's the commitment we made," said Biden, who helped build an international coalition trying to thwart Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"We agree with a one-China policy. We've signed on to it and all the intended agreements made from there. But the idea that, that it (Taiwan) can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate," he said.

China's foreign ministry said on Monday 23rd May that the U.S. should not defend Taiwan independence, after U.S. President Joe Biden said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if Beijing invaded the self-governed island.

"No one should underestimate the Chinese people's firm resolution, will and capability to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and should not stand against the 1.4 billion Chinese people," Wang said.

"We urge the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, honor its important commitment of not supporting 'Taiwan independence', exercise prudence in words and deeds over the Taiwan question, and refrain from sending any wrong signal to the 'Taiwan independence' forces, so as to avoid seriously damaging the situation across the Taiwan Strait and the China-U.S. relations. China will take resolute actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. We always deliver what we promise," said the spokesman.

During the news conference Biden also made other tough comments about China's increasingly assertive posture in the region, saying he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would pay a price for his invasion of Ukraine in part to show China what it would face if it were to invade Taiwan.

"He's clear in his conviction that the U.S. should respond to Chinese military aggression against Taiwan. He's ambiguous about what exactly that means and what commitment the U.S. has made to Taiwan's defense," said Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia during the Obama administration.

Taiwan's foreign ministry thanked Biden for his support.

Biden has left himself considerable wiggle room, particularly on the question of whether so-called military involvement would mean sending U.S. troops into battle.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government has stepped up engagement with Taiwan, continued arms sales to the island, and earlier this month the State Department quietly updated its webpage describing unofficial ties to Taiwan, removing references to China's position.

^{PHOTO: SOUNDBITES FROM CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON WANG WENBIN AT NEWS CONFERENCE}