Is China planning to invade Taiwan? NATO raises alarm over 'massive' military buildup

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued a warning highlighting that the “massive” military buildup in China raises the risk of a potential invasion of Taiwan, potentially dragging Russia into this and impacting European security.

“We have this close relationship with Japan and the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand, exactly for the reason that these countries are very, very worried about the massive military buildup in China that at the moment is taking place,” Mark Rutte said ahead of the Nato summit in The Hague, the Independent reported.

Rutte speculated that if China attempt to attack or invade Taiwan, then there is a possibility that Beijing would draw in Vladimir Putin, who would create trouble in Europe to divert the attention and resources of NATO. 'We are all very worried, of course, about the situation in Taiwan. And we also know there is a risk that if the Chinese will try anything with Taiwan, that no doubt he will call his junior partner, Mr Putin, and make sure ... he will keep us busy here, if that would happen', he added.

He also noted in his pre-summit address that the rapid expansion of military capabilities of China was evident from the global rise of its defence firms. "We know that out of the 10 biggest defence companies, only a couple of years ago, you would not find any Chinese companies. At this moment, you will find three to five Chinese defence companies in the top 10 of the biggest defence companies in the world. This shows you that this massive buildup is taking place and is having a huge impact, also when it comes to the defence industrial production of China," he also said.

Does China deploy several warships and planes?

Raising the alarm of potential risk, Rutte emphasised the NATO members to 'stand ready' without being 'naive'. In addition, he also took a dig at potential threats, about the importance of extra defence spending. His statement followed after NATO members on Sunday agreed to a big increase in their defence spending target to 5 per cent of GDP, after the demand of US President Donald Trump.

Mark Rutte's remarks also come after China deployed several warships and planes to confine the nation of Taiwan in menacing, large-scale war games in the previous month. In response to the multi-day military drills of China, Taipei scrambled fighter jets and warships of its own to dissuade the People's Liberation Army (PLA) from posing a serious threat.

However, these alarming military drills are part of a broader and troubling pattern of growing Chinese aggression toward Taiwan in recent years. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by authoritarian President Xi Jinping, considers Taiwan a breakaway region that must eventually be brought under Beijing’s control — even through military force, if necessary.

Taiwan, governed by the elected Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), operates as a democratic and self-ruled society. It has actively strengthened its ties with the United States, hoping that Washington’s political, military, and economic influence will help deter China’s expansionist ambitions.

Although many analysts believe Beijing is more likely to apply indirect pressure on Taipei — given its economic ties to the West, the risks of conflict, and the high cost of a military invasion — global political, defence, and industry leaders can no longer rule out the possibility of an all-out attack. Such a move would have far-reaching consequences, potentially shaking the global order and igniting a Third World War.

Taiwan is 'of course' a country: President Lai Ching-te

Following China's claim, President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday that Taiwan is "of course" a country, and China lacks historical evidence with legal proof to back up its sovereignty. Lai and his administration firmly reject China’s claims and have repeatedly extended offers for dialogue, all of which have been declined. Beijing labels Lai a “separatist.”

China maintains that Taiwan, despite its democratic governance, is an inseparable part of its territory, asserting that the island has belonged to China since ancient times and has no legitimate claim to statehood, according to a report in the news agency Reuters.

President Lai, however, pointed out that Taiwan has a long history of resisting foreign domination, citing past uprisings against Japanese colonial rule from 1895 to 1945. He also noted that during the Qing dynasty, Taiwan was officially regarded as a Chinese province for only eight years.