Biden remark on defending Taiwan highlight US-China tension

US President Joe Biden (Reuters photo) WASHINGTON: The United States and China fired verbal volleys at each other over Taiwan on Friday, fraying decades of tacit strategic ambiguity on the issue at the risk of igniting another global flashpoint. The new row erupted after US President Joe Biden pledged at a CNN Townhall event to protect Taiwan if it comes under attack from China, a surprisingly candid distancing from Washington’s long-standing one-China policy that effectively recognizes Beijing long-term claim over Taiwan. Although the White House subsequently rowed back Biden’s remarks saying there was no change in US policy, it triggered…