Washington, United States

CIA chief Bill Burns on Wednesday (July 20) said that China appears all set on invading Taiwan with its force.  But Beijing’s plans for when and how, not whether, to do so is influenced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Burns stated at the Aspen Security Forum that China probably observed taking Ukraine’s example that “you don’t achieve quick, decisive victories with underwhelming force.” 

While downplaying rumours that the Chinese president might order an attack on Taiwan following a Communist party gathering this year, Burns warned that things might get worse as this decade goes on. The CIA director said, “I wouldn’t underestimate President Xi’s determination to assert China’s control over self-ruling Taiwan,” AFP reported. 

Burns claimed that China was unsettled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he called the Russian president’s failure since he wanted to topple the Kyiv administration in a week. He said, “Our sense is that it probably affects less the question of whether the Chinese leadership might choose some years down the road to use force to control Taiwan, but how and when they would do it,” AFP reported.

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In a conversation with NBC News, he said, “Our sense is that it probably affects less the question of whether the Chinese leadership might choose some years down the road to use force to control Taiwan, but how and when they would do it.” 

He further continued, “I suspect the lesson that the Chinese leadership and military are drawing is that you’ve got to amass overwhelming force if you’re going to contemplate that in the future.”

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However, Qin Gang, China’s ambassador to the United States, stated that Beijing still favored ‘peaceful reunification.’ He said that the US was aiding independent forces in Taiwan, where President Tsai Ing-wen has proclaimed the island to be distinct from the rest of the world. 

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In May, US President Joe Biden appeared to eliminate long-standing US ambiguity over whether it would intervene militarily when he indicated that the country was all ready to use force to defend Taiwan from Chinese attack.

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On Wednesday, Biden told reporters that he planned to speak to Xi Jinping in the next 10 days. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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