US President Joe Biden announced at the G7 summit in Japanese Hiroshima that the US will continue "to put Taiwan in a position where they can defend themselves," BBC reports.

"We're not going to tell China what they can do," he said, "But in the meantime we're going to put Taiwan in a position where they can defend themselves."

According to the president, there is a "clear understanding" among the US and its allies that if China acted unilaterally on the issue of Taiwan, "there would be a response."

Earlier, China strongly opposed the joint statement by G7 leaders in Hiroshima, arguing that it was interference in the country's internal affairs, including the Taiwan issue.