Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin vows US will help Taiwan defend itself if Beijing invades
- US defence secretary stops short of echoing Biden’s vow to send troops to the island if attacked
- Austin tells CNN he sees ‘no imminent threat’ of invasion but increased military activity in Taiwan Strait shows Beijing seeks to establish ‘a new normal’
“We’re committed to helping Taiwan develop the capability to defend itself,” Austin said in an interview with CNN.
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Addressing US-China tensions, Joe Biden tells UN General Assembly the US does not ‘seek conflict’
Asked in an interview with CBS last month whether US troops would defend Taiwan, Biden said “yes”, if it were “an unprecedented attack”.
Austin was asked by CNN host Fareed Zakaria whether the US military was preparing to send troops to Taiwan in line with Biden’s comments, but he declined to answer directly.
“The American military is always prepared to protect our interests and live up to our commitments. I think the president was clear in providing his answers as he responded to a hypothetical question,” Austin said.
“But, again, we continue to work to make sure that we have the right capabilities in the right places to ensure that we help our allies maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he said.
