Biden's Taiwan comments reminiscent of Obama's 'red line in Syria': Pompeo
Obama warned Assad in 2012 using chemical weapons would be a 'red line'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden's response to a question about U.S. policy toward Taiwanese sovereignty was reminiscent of former President Obama warning about chemical weapon use by Syria's leader, Mike Pompeo told Fox News.
During a news conference in Japan, Biden was asked if he was willing to involve the United States "militarily" to defend Taiwan from any Chinese attempt to annex it.
"Yes," Biden replied. "That's the commitment we made – we agree with the One China Policy – we signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there – but the idea that it can be taken by force is just not appropriate."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}US MILITARY WILL DEFEND TAIWAN ‘IF IT COMES TO THAT,’ BIDEN SAYS
Biden. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
Biden added a Chinese takeover of Taiwan could "dislocate" the region similar to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
The "One China policy" refers to the U.S. recognition of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, but only acknowledges, without endorsing, Beijing's claim Taiwan is part of China.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pompeo told "The Story" Biden's response amounted to what would be "a major policy change" – which he added ought not be done at a press conference.
"I think what President Biden did today, given the context of the first 16 months of the administration – The debacle of Afghanistan, negotiating with the Iranians, telling the Russians that a minor incursion might be OK… will both anger the Chinese Communist Party, but not benefit the West and our partners," he said.
OBAMA SET MIDDLE EAST BACK 20 YEARS, ‘LIED’ ABOUT SYRIAN ‘RED LINE’: SAUDI OFFICIAL
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, members of an American Congressional delegation, from left, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pose for a photo with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen and Taiwanese officials. ((Taiwan Presidential Office via AP))
"I think there's a lot of confusion. I think there's a lot of confusion inside this White House. My guess is our friends and allies around the world are saying, what the heck is going on? This was not a useful pronouncement of American foreign policy."
Pompeo said the situation feels like "when President Obama had his red line in Syria," a reference to the 44th president's warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to use chemical weapons.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Taiwanese President Tsai (AP/Chiang Ying-ying)
"We have been very clear to the Assad regime that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized," Obama said.
Months later, Assad launched an attack on rebel forces near Damascus using rockets loaded with sarin gas, which led to reports of steep civilian casualties.
On Fox News, Pompeo said he therefore hopes the Xi regime doesn't view Biden's comments as a repeat of his "minor incursion" remark toward Russia in terms of Ukraine, citing "all the intended ambiguity and doubt that flowed from that."