Biden says Taiwan's independence is up to Taiwan after discussing matter with Xi

President Joe Biden made clear Tuesday evening he was not encouraging Taiwan's "independence" after using the word an hour earlier to describe the progress he made during a discussion of the island with his Chinese counterpart Monday evening.

"I said that they have to decide -- Taiwan, not us. We are not encouraging independence," Biden said on an airport tarmac in New Hampshire, where he was promoting his recently signed infrastructure law.

"We're encouraging that they do exactly what the Taiwan Act requires," he went on, referring to the 1979 law dictating the American approach to the island. "That's what we're doing. Let them make up their mind. Period."