BALTIMORE (AFP) - President Joe Biden on Thursday (Oct 22) said the United States would come to the defence of Taiwan if the island were attacked by China, which considers it part of its territory.

       "Yes," he responded when asked in a CNN town hall about defending Taiwan. "We have a commitment to that."

       Mr Biden's statement was at odds with the long-held US policy known as "strategic ambiguity," where Washington helps build Taiwan's defences but does not explicitly promise to come to the island's help.

       He made a similar pledge in August during an interview with ABC, insisting that the US would always defend key allies, including Taiwan, despite the withdrawal from Afghanistan in the face of the victorious Taliban.

       Mr Biden said the United States made a "sacred commitment" to defend NATO allies in Canada and Europe and it's the "same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with Taiwan," AFP reported.

       The White House subsequently told reporters that US policy on Taiwan "has not changed."

       Mr Biden said he was not worried about intentional conflict with China but was more concerned with an unintentional escalation, CNN reported.

       "China, Russia and the rest of the world knows we have the most powerful military in history of the world. Don't worry about whether they're going to be more powerful," he said. "But you do have to worry about whether or not they're going to engage in activities put them in a position where they may make a serious mistake."

       Mr Biden also said he was not interested in a prolonged conflict with China, CNN reported.

       "I have spoken and spent more time with Xi Jinping than any other world leader has. That's why you hear people saying Biden wants to start a new Cold War with China. I don't want a Cold War with China. I want China to understand that we are not going to step back and change any of our views."

       Speaking to reporters earlier on Thursday, China’s United Nations Ambassador Zhang Jun said they are pursuing “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan and responding to “separatist attempts” by its ruling Democratic Progressive Party, Reuters reported.

       “We are not the troublemaker. On the contrary, some countries – the US in particular – is taking dangerous actions, leading the situation in Taiwan Strait into a dangerous direction,” he said.

       “I think at this moment what we should call is that the United States stop such practice. Dragging Taiwan into a war definitely is in nobody’s interest. I don’t see that the United States will gain anything from that.”

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