Biden says U.S. willing to use force to defend Taiwan — prompting backlash from China

Biden on Monday attended a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, Japan.

China criticized the U.S. President for saying he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan.

When asked if the U.S. would defend Taiwan if attacked, Biden said yes.

Biden said that they agreed with the policy. We agreed to it. The agreements were made there. That can be taken by force. It's just not appropriate.

Taiwan's foreign ministry thanked Biden for the U.S. support if Beijing invaded the island. China's foreign ministry said the U.S. shouldn't defend Taiwan independence, according to a report.

The Taiwan Strait is a small body of water that separates Taiwan and mainland China. The Communist Party in Beijing claims that Taiwan is a runaway province that needs to be brought back to the mainland by force if necessary.

Taiwan and the view of the island through the lens of Russia's onslaught in Ukraine came up several times during Biden's press conference.

The importance of peace and stability of Taiwan Straits is an indispensable element for peace and prosperity of international communities, according to Japan's leader.