CHINA could launch an attack on the US within the next five years as tensions between the two powers over Taiwan continue to escalate, experts warn. The chilling warning comes as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her delegation left the contested island following a historic visit.
AlamyChina warned its rivals that those who play with fire ...will not come to a good end' '/ '
APFormer Marine Brendan Mulvaney said Pelosi's trip to Taiwan ...wasn't helpful' for President Biden '/ ' Pelosi was the highest-level US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years, but research fellow Darren Spinck, of the Henry Jackson Society, said it was "sloppily organized". He told The Sun: "The fact that it wasn't done in conjunction with the White House was ill-advised, but at the same time, there are co-equal branches of government in the US and she had every right to go on the trip." President Biden revealed that the military didn't think it was a good idea for Pelosi to visit Taiwan. Former US Marine Brendan Mulvaney said: "Pelosi's visit to Taiwan was not helpful for Biden. He was obviously unable to dissuade her. He tried to and he failed. read more taiwan stories
'WORST CASE SCENARIO' Pelosi 'may spark potential WW3 if China harms her on Taiwan trip'
GET OUT Taiwan 7/11 stores hacked with chilling message for 'warmonger Pelosi' to 'get out' "It shows that his face within the Democratic Party may not be nearly as strong enough as people thought." He suggested that Pelosi may have wanted to leave an impression as it could be her last major overseas visit ahead of the midterm elections. The Democrats are currently forecast to lose the House to the GOP. Even before Pelosi left Taiwan, China vowed to surround the island as part of a targeted military operation. The Taiwanese National Defense Ministry has claimed that military aircraft from Beijing has entered the island's surrounding area. Most read in The US Sun GROWING UP Khloe Kardashian's ex Tristan Thompson's baby mama shares rare photo of son Theo 'WORST CASE SCENARIO' Pelosi 'may spark potential WW3 if China harms her on Taiwan trip' FOOD FAIL Aldi fans upset after easy dinner favorite more than doubles in price MORE MONEY Millions of Americans to get direct payments up to $1,050 - see the exact dates cash in hand Direct payments up to $300 out next month - find out how much you're due 'READY FOR WAR' China vows to 'fight to death' & masses tanks on beaches for Taiwan strike And, forces within the People's Liberation Army (PLA) vowed to defend Beijing's sovereignty and territorial integrity. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned: ...Those who play with fire will not come to a good end, and those who offend China will be punished.... Chilling propaganda messages in 7/11 stores across the island accused Pelosi of being a warmonger. An invasion doesn't appear to be imminent but Spinck warned that tensions could rise ahead of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is set to be held later this year. Xi is set to be re-elected as General Secretary of CCP or could be named Chairman. Spinck said: "President Xi is facing domestic pressures. His Covid zero policy has been an absolute failure and there have been disruptions in Shanghai and Beijing. "There are also rising concerns about the economy. There's a chance that there will be a necessity for him to increase China's hegemonic ambitions, whether it's militarily, politically, or economically.... DESIRE TO FORM LEGACY China intends to reach military parity by 2027 and Spinck believes that the situation could be "extremely dangerous". Taiwan is part of Xi's so-called rejuvenation project and believes Beijing shouldn't consider itself to be a great power unless unification is achieved. Spinck said Xi has an "almost certain desire" to form a legacy on the issue of Taiwan. Mulvaney believes elites in Beijing will "wait and see" to see if the Taiwan question can be resolved diplomatically. He said: "I don't think there's any grand plan to take over Taiwan at the beginning of next year, or 2027, or anything like that. "But, they've said multiple times that they continue to have the option to use military force to invade and occupy Taiwan and bring it under the control of Beijing, so we shouldn't ever discount that they have it as a contingency. "I just don't think that's their main goal or objective in the foreseeable short-term." Ethan Paul, a US-China relations expert from the Quincy Institute, previously warned that there will be a "crisis" over Taiwan amid the rivalry between Washington and Beijing. He told The Sun: "I'm afraid we're heading towards some sort of nuclear showdown over Taiwan which is where we'll see continuous developments in China's ability to credibly threaten nuclear escalation against the United States.... He speculated that a future conflict could be politically motivated, triggered by "accidents or misperceptions". NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN FEARS He suggested that a conflict could break out over a so-called misperception crisis, sparked by unilateral action by either China, or Taiwan or if a future Republican administration changed its policy of strategic ambiguity. Mulvaney suggested a natural disaster could lead to the PLA trying to seize Taiwan. For decades, Washington has persuaded pro-separatist Taiwanese forces not to declare independence while also deterring Beijing not to seize the island by force. General Douglas MacArthur described Taiwan as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" in 1950 and Spinck warned that Beijing forces could try to project its power outwards if they seized the island. Forces would be able to take over the ports and airports, bolstering their military capability. Spinck said: "They would have the ability to move tens of thousands of PLA troops past the first island chain. Read More on The US Sun
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blame game Today's Hoda admits she's in constant 'fear of being fired' because of Savannah "It creates quite a predicament for the rest of the Indo-Pacific region and Beijing has the option to shut down air and sea trade routes at their whim. "They could even start targeting US territories like Guam and Hawaii. So there are extremely important, national security and economic interests for there not be any war in the Taiwan Strait."
AlamyPropagandists accused Pelosi of being a ...warmonger' as she made the historic visit to Taiwan '/ '
Experts fear that a nuclear showdown could erupt between China and the US over Taiwan
