Chinese invasion of Taiwan likely pushed past 2027 amid military purges, say US officials
Beijing may increasingly look to use force in 2028 and beyond if Taiwan's election sees the Democratic Progressive Party win a fourth consecutive term.
US officials are expressing growing doubt that China will invade Taiwan before 2028, despite President Xi Jinping's orders for the military to be prepared to do so by then. Main reasons for this shift include delays in military readiness caused by China's anti-corruption campaign and Beijing's desire to observe the results of Taiwan's 2028 election.
Some Chinese officials hope a DPP victory could lead to a more accommodating government, facilitating unification efforts. Furthermore, if Lai Ching-te, the current DPP president, wins reelection, the likelihood of an invasion by 2028 increases, according to US officials. The US is Taiwan's principal international ally and arms supplier, and although China has never publicly confirmed a 2027 readiness order, the invasion timeline has been a point of urgency for US administrations.
While China has not ruled out using force to take Taiwan, the country's military has become less aggressive since Xi's anti-corruption campaign, which has resulted in numerous purges within the military ranks.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
