Yimou Le

TAIPEI (Reuters] – Sandra Oudkirk, the top U.S. diplomat in Taiwan, declared Friday that the United States was committed to Taiwan’s defense.

She spoke out to reporters during her first news conference as she assumed her position in July.

Oudkirk is responsible for the American Institute Taiwan. This de facto U.S. embassies in Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic ties.

These remarks were made as tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated over recent weeks. China hasn’t ruled out the possibility of taking control of democratically-ruled Taiwan by force.

The United States has not established formal relations with China-claimed islands, but it is their most significant international supporter and major arms supplier. The administration of President Joe Biden has sought to reaffirm that support to Beijing’s annoyance.

Washington must provide Taiwan the necessary defense mechanisms, but Washington has long maintained a policy that is “strategic uncertainty” about whether or not it will intervene militarily in Taiwan’s favor.

Oudkirk answered a question about whether America would help Taiwan defend itself if China attacked. Citing several U.S laws that govern its relationship with Taiwan, Oudkirk stated, “The policy towards Taiwan was clear and still remains unchanged.”

A recent increase in https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-says-military-drills-near-taiwan-just-move-2021-10-13Chinese military exercises in Taiwan’s air defence identification zone are part of what Taipei views as stepped up military harassment by Beijing.

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged https://www.reuters.com/world/blinken-urges-all-un-member-states-support-taiwan-participation-2021-10-26 all United Nations member states to support Taiwan’s “robust” participation in the U.N. system.