Chinese president’s ‘ambitions’ on Taiwan should not be ‘underestimated’, CIA director warns

CIA Director William Burns warned on Thursday that Xi Jinping’s “ambition” regarding Taiwan should not be underestimated, despite the Chinese president saying he has been alarmed by how Russia’s military has fared in Ukraine.

Mr Burns said the US was “aware”, thanks to “gathering of intelligence” that Mr Xi had ordered the Chinese armed forces to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027.

“This does not mean that he has decided to order an invasion in 2027, or any other year, but it is a reminder of how serious his focus and ambition is,” the CIA director said, speaking at a foreign policy event at the university. Georgetown (Washington).

“Our assessment at the CIA is that President Xi’s ambitions regarding Taiwan should not be underestimated,” he insisted, adding that the Chinese leader was “surprised and upset” and is trying to learn from the “very poor performance” of the Russian military. and its weapons systems in the war in Ukraine.

Russia and China signed an agreement for a “borderless” partnership in February 2022, shortly before the Russian armed forces invaded Ukraine. Trade ties between the two states are flourishing, although Russia’s relations with the West continue to deteriorate.

The Russian invasion heightened concerns in the West that China could try to seize Taiwan, a self-governed island of 23 million that Beijing considers its territory.

The Chinese government has studiously avoided condemning the Russian invasion, but is careful not to offer material support to Moscow that would trigger Western sanctions.

“I think it would be a mistake to underestimate the mutual commitment in this partnership, but this is not a friendship that knows no bounds,” Mr Burns noted.

As Mr. Burns spoke, the Pentagon announced that a Chinese spy balloon was flying high above sensitive US military installations, but it was decided not to shoot it down because the debris could cause casualties or damage.

Mr. Burns did not comment on the incident, however he called China the “biggest geopolitical challenge” for the US.

“The competition with China is unique in scale, and it’s starting to unfold, you know, in almost every field, not just military and ideological, but also economic, and technological, from cyberspace to the very space. It’s global competition in everything,” and “it may become even more intense than the competition with the Soviets was,” he insisted.

There has been no reaction at this stage from the Chinese embassy in Washington on Mr Burns’ placement, nor on the Pentagon’s announcements about the spy balloon.

At the same time, the director of the CIA said that the American intelligence agency estimates that the next six months will be “critical” for Ukraine, which is trying to repel the invasion of the Russian army on its territory that began almost a year ago, in February 24, 2022.

Mr. Burns also emphasized that the government of Iran seems worried about the situation in the country and the courage of “deprived” women.

For the Middle East, the CIA director estimated that violence between Israel and the Palestinians may escalate again, expressing concern.

RES-EMP

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