While the White House later clarified that the remarks did not represent any change in the US's policy towards Taiwan, they are sure to provoke a response from Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its sovereign territory.
"Yes, we have a commitment to do that," Biden said at a CNN town hall when asked if the US would come to the 'defense' of Taiwan, which has complained about Beijing's demand that it accept Chinese sovereignty.
Washington has long followed a policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attempt to integrate the territory.
In August, a Biden administration official had said that US policy on Taiwan had not changed after the US president appeared to suggest the United States would intervene if it were attacked.
A White House spokesperson said Biden at his town hall was not announcing any change in US policy and "there is no change in our policy", but declined further comment when asked if Biden had misspoken.
"The US defense relationship with Taiwan is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act. We will uphold our commitment under the Act, we will continue to support Taiwan's self-defense, and we will continue to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo," the spokesperson said.
Taiwan's presidential office, responding to Biden's remarks, said their position remains the same, which is it will neither give in to pressure nor "rashly advance" when it gets support.
Taiwan will show a firm determination to defend itself, presidential office spokesperson Xavier Chang said in a statement, noting also the Biden administration's continued concrete actions to show its "rock-solid" support for Taiwan.
China on Friday urged Washington to tread carefully on Taiwan after Joe Biden's statement.
"China has no room for compromise on issues involving its core interests," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, warning that Washington "should act and speak cautiously on the Taiwan issue."
Biden said people should not worry about Washington's military strength because "China, Russia and the rest of the world knows we're the most powerful military in the history of the world,"
"What you do have to worry about is whether or not they're going to engage in activities that would put them in a position where they may make a serious mistake," Biden said.
"I don't want a cold war with China. I just want China to understand that we're not going to step back, that we're not going to change any of our views."
Military tensions between Taiwan and China are at their worst in more than 40 years, Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said this month.
Taiwan claims it is an independent country and will defend its freedoms and democracy.
China says Taiwan is the most sensitive and important issue in its ties with the United States and has denounced what it calls "collusion" between Washington and Taipei.
Speaking to reporters earlier on Thursday, China's United Nations Ambassador Zhang Jun said they are pursuing "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan and responding to "separatist attempts" by its ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
"We are not the troublemaker. On the contrary, some countries — the US in particular — is taking dangerous actions, leading the situation in Taiwan Strait into a dangerous direction," he said.
"I think at this moment what we should call is that the United States to stop such practice. Dragging Taiwan into a war definitely is in nobody's interest. I don't see that the United States will gain anything from that."
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