U.S. President Joe Biden hinted again at the possibility of U.S. military intervention in defending Taiwan if China invades the island in an interview with Time magazine. In an interview with the online edition of Time on Thursday, Biden said, “I would not rule out the use of U.S. military force if China attacked Taiwan.”

Biden said, “Our ‘One China’ policy has not changed,” but he has repeatedly emphasized his willingness to defend Taiwan, expressing his wariness of the military invasion by the Xi Jinping regime. This statement is interpreted as a clear statement of the U.S. position on defending Taiwan, as well as a warning message to China.

Asked about how he would respond specifically to past comments on the possibility of U.S. military involvement in defending Taiwan, Biden said, “It would depend on the circumstances.” However, he left room for interpretation by mentioning that there is a “difference” in deploying ground forces, air forces, and naval forces. When asked if he would use U.S. bases in the Philippines and Japan to launch attacks, he avoided a direct answer, saying, “I can’t say.”

Biden explained that he had communicated to President Xi Jinping that the U.S. does not support “independence” for Taiwan but would protect Taiwan if China attempts to unilaterally change the status quo.

Biden’s remarks highlight the growing tensions in U.S.-China relations over Taiwan. The U.S. is concerned about China’s military threat to Taiwan and is strengthening its military support for Taiwan. China considers Taiwan to be its own territory and insists that it will not tolerate U.S. interference in Taiwan. The escalating tensions between the U.S. and China are deepening security instability in the East Asian region.