Taiwan risks being invaded by China, the US Navy says

by time news

Time.news – Taiwan risks undergoing a military invasion by China: Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the Asia-Pacific Area Command based in Hawaii, said in a hearing in the Senate reported by the British newspaper Guardian . “I fear that China is accelerating towards the goal of supplanting the role of the US on the island – observed the commander in the area speaking to the Senate Armed Forces Commission – I think this threat will manifest itself in the next six years “.

The increase in the Chinese military presence in the Taiwan area, he explained, has already weakened the delicate balance by making the risk of an intervention stronger without the US being able to react effectively. For the time being, China’s aggression has shown itself mostly in political and economic terms, in an attempt to further isolate Taiwan, which has been autonomous since 1949. Just a few days ago, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Li reiterated, during the plenary session of Parliament, that Taiwan is an “inalienable” part of Chinese territory and that of the Strait “will be reunified”.

“We hope that the United States understands the high sensitivity of the issue”, he added, concluding with the hope that the Biden administration “does not play with fire”. The United States is the island’s main ally and according to Admiral Davidson should strengthen its presence in the area to ensure, if necessary, an adequate response to Chinese aggression.

Biden convenes summit with premier Australia, India, Japan

Meanwhile, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, will hold the firsts on Friday joint talks with leaders from Australia, India and Japan, strengthening a four-party alliance considered by commentators a bulwark against China. It will be one of the first summits, albeit in a virtual format, for Biden.

“The fact that the president has made this one of his first multilateral commitments signals the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. The meeting of the so-called “Quad” takes place amid growing tensions with China, which is flexing its muscles in the region in both commerce and defense.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Biden “is taking this to another level”. “It will be – he added – a historic moment in our region and sends a strong message about our support for a sovereign and independent Indo-Pacific”. India’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “leaders will discuss regional and global issues of shared interest and exchange views on concrete areas of cooperation for maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region” .

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