US Navy chief says China’s invasion of Taiwan may happen soon

In light of the statements of Chinese leaders, starting with the statements of their first, Xi Jinping, the question is not whether or not China will invade Taiwan, but when it will decide.

In fact, during the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China, on October 16, President Xi once again pressured Taiwan, an island considered in Beijing as a rebellious province. “Resolving the Taiwan issue is the prerogative of the Chinese people themselves [elle] It should be resolved by the Chinese people alone.” He continued, “The reunification of the motherland must and will be achieved,” after warning that China “will not reconsider the use of force” if necessary.

For many observers, Beijing could decide to launch a military operation against Taiwan in 2027, which would coincide with the centenary of the People’s Liberation Army. [APL]. Such a “speculation” was made recently by David Cohen, deputy director of the CIA. “We are carefully watching how the Chinese understand the situation in Ukraine – how the Russians and Ukrainians have acted – and its implications for their own plans regarding Taiwan,” he said.

Specifically, about this, the commander of the US Pacific Air Forces said [PACAF]General Kenneth Welsbach, questioned the ability of the People’s Liberation Army to carry out a large-scale operation against Taiwan by 2027.

Russia should have had a relatively easy problem to solve: it had to cross the border and take control of a country militarily superior to it. However, he suffered many failures and certainly did not achieve his goals,” General Welsbach noted for the first time during a meeting with the press on September 19.

He also went on to say, in the case of Taiwan, China would have to solve a “more difficult problem”, through open transit of the Taiwan Strait and “air strikes against a well-protected place … and a place that clearly intends to defend itself.” And the question, “whether the 2027 goal is realistic?”

Only, it is clear that US military leaders do not agree with each other. No doubt this is due to the color of the uniform [et donc des budgets à défendre]? However, the US Navy’s chief of staff, Admiral Michael Gilday, estimated that the United States should be ready for a possible invasion of Taiwan very soon.

“It’s not just about what President Xi says, it’s about how the Chinese act and what they’re doing,” Admiral Gilday told the Atlantic Council on October 20. However, he noted, over the past 20 years, China has fulfilled all the promises it made.

“So when we talk about 2027, in my opinion, that [veut dire] 2022 or possibly 2023. […] I cannot rule out this possibility. I don’t mean to be alarmed in saying that at all. “We can’t rule it out,” the US Navy chief said.

However, his remarks are in line with those made the day before by Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, during a forum organized by Stanford University in California. “China is determined to continue the reunification process on a fast-track schedule,” he said, without elaborating. It has completely changed in recent years […]. It has become more oppressive on the inside and more aggressive on the outside.”