US military advised to prepare for Chinese invasion of Taiwan
The US military is being advised to prepare for China’s invasion of Taiwan after President Xi Jinping’s rhetoric becomes increasingly alarming. According to The Straits Times, the chief of US naval operations, Michael Gilday, is the latest senior official to raise alarms concerning China’s willingness to invade Taiwan. He voiced his concerns as President Xi delivered a landmark speech where he restated his vow to one day “reunify” or forcefully take Taiwan.
“It’s not just what President Xi says, it’s how the Chinese behave and what they do. And what we’ve seen over the past 20 years is that they have delivered on every promise they’ve made earlier than they said they were going to deliver on it. So when we talk about the 2027 window in my mind, that has to be a 2022 window or potentially a 2023 window. I can’t rule that out. I don’t mean at all to be alarmist by saying that. It’s just that we can’t wish that away.”
Although China has never controlled Taiwan, it claims the island as its own. And the United States is bound under the Taiwan Relations Act to sell Taipei defensive weapons despite the country not being a treaty ally of the US. Beijing has long said that it is for a “peaceful reunification” with the island country but maintains the right to use force if necessary. Especially if Taiwan declares independence.
Xi has taken the stance of Taiwan being part of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” saying that the goal of reunification cannot continue to be passed indefinitely from generation to generation.
Gilday’s warnings came a day after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken speculated, without any evidence, that Beijing wants to seize Taiwan “on a much faster timeline” than previously thought, adding that “a very different China” had emerged under Xi.
“It is more repressive at home; it’s more aggressive abroad.”
