Ukraine making China rethink when, not whether, to invade Taiwan: CIA chief

[webfact]

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter carries a Taiwan flag during national day celebrations in Taipei on October 10, 2021. (Photo by Sam Yeh / AFP)

 

China appears determined on using force in Taiwan, with Russia’s experience in Ukraine affecting Beijing’s calculations on when and how — not whether — to invade, the head of the CIA said Wednesday.

 

Appearing at the Aspen Security Forum, Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns said that China likely saw in Ukraine that “you don’t achieve quick, decisive victories with underwhelming force.”

 

He played down speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping could move on Taiwan after a key Communist Party meeting later this year but said the risks “become higher, it seems to us, the further into this decade that you get.”

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ukraine-making-china-rethink-when-not-whether-to-invade-taiwan-cia-chief/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-07-21

 

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[John Drake]

Russia had the advantage of being right next to Ukraine. Over 100 miles of ocean separates China from Taiwan. No matter how "overwhelming" that means a lot of ships, landing craft, and troop ships that will be sitting ducks. Western weapons it seems to me have already revealed Russian weapons, on whose designs and manufacture China still largely depends, are junk. Why would the much vaunted hypersonics in China be any better than the Russians, who supposedly were in the lead and whose hypersonic missiles turned out to have a 40 percent failure rate and poor targetting? Again, I don't have any special knowledge in this area other than what I read. But it looks like 30 and 40 year old American Himars are making a shambles out of Russia's vaunted military machine. Won't the same weapons knocking the stuffing out of the Russians have even more of a deadly effect on some Chinese armada that will be zeroed in on from the moment it leaves port?

[wombat]

saber rattling horse hockey...China owns by proxy all the service industries on the island and can shut it down overnight.
in the mean time its good for business.

[placeholder]

59 minutes ago, wombat said:

saber rattling horse hockey...China owns by proxy all the service industries on the island and can shut it down overnight.
in the mean time its good for business.

You mean ride sharing and food delivery services? 

In fact, Taiwanese businesses have been major investors in China. Although, that's changing.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-21/china-s-crackdown-on-taiwan-inc-risks-accelerating-decoupling

[Mac Mickmanus]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He played down speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping could move on Taiwan

Didnt he post on these forums about moving to Central America ?

[hotchilli]

If China wanted to take Taiwan it would be seen in advance with the build-up of troops and movement of shipping in the southern ports.