President Bush says U.S. will defend Taiwan if attacked by China

June 15, 2005

On Friday, June 10, 2005, U.S. President George W. Bush said that the United States will defend the Republic of China (Taiwan) if it is ever attacked by the People's Republic of China (mainland China). The President expressed this position in an interview with Neil Cavuto in Fox News Channel's Your World with Neil Cavuto.

CAVUTO: Do we still stand by an agreement, Mr. President, that if Taiwan is ever invaded, we will defense Taiwan?

BUSH: Yes, we do. It's called the Taiwan Relations Act. The policy of the U.S. government is this: We're for a One China policy based upon what they call the Three Communiqués, and that we adhere to the Taiwan Relations Act, which means this: Neither side will unilaterally change the status quo. In other words, neither side will make a decision that steps outside the bounds of that statement I just made to you. If China were to invade unilaterally, we would rise up in the spirit of Taiwan Relations Act. If Taiwan were to declare independence unilaterally, it would be a unilateral decision that would then change the U.S. equation.