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President Joe Biden said the US would defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack, in a strong warning to Beijing a month after China held large-scale military exercises in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
Asked in a Sunday interview with CBS News’s 60 minutes whether he would deploy US troops to defend Taiwan from Chinese military actions, Biden replied, “Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack.”
When asked again whether the US would send troops to defend Taiwan, as opposed to the situation in Ukraine, the president said, “Yes.”
On Monday, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said Beijing “regrets and rejects” Biden’s comments and has filed “solemn complaints” with the US, according to the Associated Press.
Biden has issued three similar warnings in the past, but Sunday marked the first time he has done so since China reacted furiously to Pelosi’s visit with the unprecedented move of ballistic missile firing over Taiwan.
More from Biden’s interview: Investors wiped out more than $10 billion of the market value of major Covid-19 vaccine makers yesterday after US President Joe Biden said 60 minutes, “the pandemic is over”.
Do you think the US should intervene to defend Taiwan if there is a Chinese attack? Tell me what you think firstft@ft.com. Thanks for reading FirstFT Asia — Emily
Five more stories in the news
1. Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral ends the UK’s mourning period Queen Elizabeth II has completed the journey to her final resting place in Windsor after a memorable state funeral at Westminster Abbey, as world leaders joined Britons to mourn the country’s longest-serving monarch.
The FT view: For all the grief of the past few days, Britain may miss its late monarch even more than it realizes.
Related reading: An official Chinese delegation was barred from attending the Queen’s state ceremony at Westminster Hall.
2. Iranians Protest Woman’s Death After Arrest Over Dress Code Protesters clashed with security forces in Iran’s largest cities and in the Kurdish region yesterday as anger grew over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian who was visiting Tehran after she was detained by the Islamic State republic. moral police.
3. South Korea Prosecutors Want To Cancel Crypto Boss Passport The Seoul Prosecutor’s Office in the Southern District said yesterday that it has asked the Seoul Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revoke the passport of Do Kwon, the co-founder of collapsed cryptocurrency operator Terraform Labs, claiming he refuses. participating in an investigation into the $40 billion implosion of the terraUSD and luna tokens.
4. Turkish Banks Suspend Russian Mir Cards İşbank and DenizBank, two of Turkey’s largest banks, have halted use of Russia’s Mir payment system after warnings from Washington about the risk of violating US sanctions against Moscow.
5. Typhoon Nanmadol kills at least one in Japan A powerful typhoon swept through southwestern Japan, bringing strong winds and torrential rain, leaving at least one dead, dozens injured and more than 300,000 households without power.
A woman struggles with high winds and rain in Miyazaki after typhoon ravaged southern Japan © Kyodo News/AP
the next day
Reserve Bank of Australia minutes The minutes of the last meeting of policymakers will shed light on the rate hike implemented earlier this month.
CPI figures for Japan When the August consumer price index is released today, economists expect the data to show Japan’s core consumer inflation last month rose to a high of almost eight years. (Reuters)
What else do we read
Indians mark Queen’s death with respectful indifference For Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata party, actively shedding the trappings of the British Raj is part of a wider ideological project. Indians have collectively absorbed their past and are, as Modi has said, “giving new colors to tomorrow’s portrait”, in which Britain matters less.
America needs a good risk strategy for China In Washington, fears mount that Beijing is planning a military invasion and America threatens to become embroiled in a sparring between Beijing and Taipei in the Taiwan Strait. But what would happen if supply chains and financial flows between the US and China were cut off tomorrow? What is the day-one plan? asks Rana Foroohar.
Putin, Xi and the Limits of Friendship Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping praised their nations’ friendship that “knows no borders”. But as the protracted conflict in Ukraine continues, a deeply weakened and shamed Russia is already a much less useful partner for China, writes Gideon Rachman.
Middle managers — on the new frontline of office life Middle managers have faced the upheavals caused by the pandemic and the so-called Great Resignation’s staff turnover, leaving gaps in the workforce. Now many are tasked with overseeing hybrid work plans and managing teams’ wage expectations in a period of high inflation.
The Lawless World of Crypto Scams Fraudsters are taking advantage of a boom in cryptocurrencies to rob individuals, with about $6.2 billion stolen globally in 2021. The surge has exposed a gaping hole in financial regulation and consumer protection, but tracing the international networks behind crypto fraud poses huge challenges for researchers.
Your feedback
As millions tuned in to see Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, we’d like to thank FirstFT readers from around the world who shared their thoughts on the late monarch with us:
“Tested in so many different times – always a rock, committed her whole life to service until the day she died. Just remarkable, especially today when viewed against our (particularly the US) environment of division, hatred and lack of civility. An American’s opinion: I feel like we’ve lost this great role model of how to lead and behave.” —Deborah Kelly, Denver, Colorado
“I worry about the future and what it means for the country, both at home and in the eyes of the world. At the same time, I’m excited that Charles took the throne. I am a sustainability person and the world has to change. Charles has been beating that drum for years.” — Wayne McCance, Hampshire, England
“What will be the course for Britain with her passing? And what about the traditions that hold a country together, give it meaning, purpose and will of its people?” — Beatrice, New York City
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