According to CIA Director William Burns, American intelligence indicates that Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his country’s military to “be ready by 2027” to invade Taiwan, even though he may have second thoughts about doing so given Russia’s experience in its conflict with Ukraine.
Burns emphasized that even if a military confrontation is not unavoidable, the United States must “very seriously” consider Xi’s intention to ultimately rule Taiwan in a television interview that aired on Sunday.
In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Burns said: “We do know, as has been made public, that President Xi has instructed the PLA, the Chinese military command, to be ready to attack Taiwan by 2027, but it doesn’t imply he’s determined to invade in 2027 or any other year as well.
After a civil war that left the Communist Party in charge of the mainland, Taiwan and China broke apart in 1949.
Although not recognized by the United Nations or any other significant nation, the self-governing island behaves like a sovereign state. President Jimmy Carter severed diplomatic connections with Taiwan and recognized Beijing’s authority in writing in 1979.
In response, the Taiwan Relations Act was passed by Congress, setting a standard for future ties.
In the face of increasing displays of power by Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, Taiwan has received repeated expressions of official American support for the island’s democracy.
According to President Joe Biden, the American military would defend the island if China attempted to invade Taiwan.
Burns stated in the interview on Sunday that although the U.S. and European allies’ support for Ukraine in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of that nation may temporarily deter Chinese officials, the dangers of a potential attack on Taiwan will only increase.
According to Burns, “I believe that some of those worries have undoubtedly been reinforced as they have looked at Putin’s experience in Ukraine.
“So, all I can say is that I believe the dangers of, you know, the potential use of force increase as we move farther into this decade and into the one after it.
So obviously, he continued, “that’s something we watch very carefully.”
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