Taipei (Taiwan):
China is “clearly and unambiguously” developing the ability to invade Taiwan in the near future, said a US military top officer on Wednesday.
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen Mark Milley said that the American military “absolutely” could defend Taiwan from a potential Chinese attack if asked to do so.
Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, Milley said he did not expect China to attempt to seize the self-governing island in the next 24 months, but should it happen, US forces “absolutely have the capability” to defend Taipei, “no question about that,” The Hill reported.
“I don’t think it is likely in the near future, being defined as six, 12, maybe 24 months, that kind of window. Having said that, the Chinese are clearly and unambiguously building the capability to provide those options to the national leadership if they choose at some point in the near future,” Milley said.
China in the past several months has amped up its provocations against the island it sees as a rogue territory, flying warplanes into its air identification zone 150 times over the course of about four days in early October. (ANI)
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