CNN
—
US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told Congress Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to press Taiwan and try to undercut US influence in the coming years as he begins a third term as president.
While Beijing has stepped up its public criticism of the US, Haines told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the intelligence community assesses that China still believes it “benefits most by preventing a spiraling of tensions and by preserving stability in its relationship with the United States.”
Haines and the other top intelligence officials – CIA Director William Burns, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier and NSA Director Gen. Paul Nakasone – testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday at the panel’s annual public worldwide threats hearing.
Haines ticked…
2023-03-08 13:39:38
Source from www.cnn.com
Amidst increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, US intelligence chiefs have warned that China is expected to apply more pressure on Taiwan in a bid to undermine the United States.
In their annual threat assessment to Congress, the Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, and other top intelligence officials have stated that Beijing is likely to increase its military activities near Taiwan, including more naval drills and exercises by its air force.
The report also warns that China will seek to isolate Taiwan internationally and cut off its diplomatic ties with countries that recognize Taiwan as an independent state. China has already succeeded in persuading several countries to switch their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, leaving Taiwan with just a handful of diplomatic allies.
The US intelligence chiefs have also expressed concern that China is using economic coercion to force Taiwan to accept its political terms. Beijing has been deeply critical of Taiwan’s pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen and has refused to hold talks with her government until she publicly acknowledges that Taiwan is part of China.
According to the report, China’s actions are part of a broader strategy to weaken US alliances and partnerships in the region. The intelligence chiefs have warned that China will continue to challenge the US military presence in the Pacific, portraying it as a threat to China’s regional security.
The US has long supported Taiwan’s independence and has maintained a “strategic ambiguity” policy on the island’s status, neither endorsing nor rejecting it. But as tensions rise between China and Taiwan, the US has increasingly expressed its support for Taiwan, including sending high-level officials to visit the island.
In response, China has ramped up its military presence near Taiwan, with a record number of Chinese fighter jets crossing into Taiwan’s airspace in recent weeks. China claims that its military activities are merely routine exercises, but Washington has expressed concern that China is trying to intimidate Taiwan.
The US has also sought to strengthen its alliances in the region, including with Japan, South Korea, and Australia. The Biden administration has expressed its commitment to maintaining a strong US presence in the Pacific and countering China’s influence in the region.
In conclusion, China’s expected increase in pressure on Taiwan and its effort to undermine the US is a cause for concern. The escalating tensions between China and Taiwan have the potential to spark a military conflict, which could draw in other countries and destabilize the region. The US and its allies must remain vigilant and work together to ensure stability in the Pacific.