US intelligence officials assess that Russia and China are working more closely together on military issues, including a potential invasion of Taiwan, prompting new planning across the government to counter a potential scenario in which the countries fight in coordination.
“We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said Thursday in testimony to Congress.
The Defense Department has “become even more concerned about our joint force requirements in an environment where” Russia and China “would certainly be cooperative, and we need to take that into account,” Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse responded.
Haines added that intelligence assessments indicate there is “increasing cooperation in the ‘no-limits’ partnership” between Russia and China “across really every sector of society: political, economic, military, technological and so on.”
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How about the fact that Ukraine routed Russia's navy in the black sea, and broke its blockade, using only cheap submarine drones and anti ship missiles?
@ChoughLouieDemocrat2yrs2Y
The Black Sea situation says more about the Russian navy than about Ukraine.
Furthermore, President Xi has a super tough call ...
CONTINUE spending massive $300 billion on empire building army when NO ONE IS THREATENING China
OR
Divert the funds to rebuild CONFIDENCE in China's rapidly COLLAPSING economy to prevent SPARKING a China Spring among the 21% unemployed youth soon to be joined by a massive 11.7 million new graduates.
@DopeyDuckMountain2yrs2Y
China doesn't need to land troops in Taiwan. China can simply blockade shipping lanes around Taiwan and starve it into submission. China can launch cruise missiles from its mainland, without sending any ships into harms way. Just look at what the Houthis are doing, with much more primitive missiles.
@D1rectMantisDemocrat2yrs2Y
both of those steps would mean a war is started, and they'd be starting a war from a position of "not actually having invaded and controlled Taiwan." not smart.
@AboardHouseRepublican2yrs2Y
An invasion of Taiwan is pretty much an impossibility...
1) The US Navy would crush China's Navy
2) The US Air Force and Navy would dominate the skies around Taiwan making an Invasion impossible
3) The US would blockade China, causing its economy to tank. At the same time the US and Europe would freeze all assets, prevent anybody from doing business with China, and ban all Chinese imports.
At the end of the day, China would never set foot on Taiwan, while reaping the whirlwinds of pain from their attempts...
@FreeTradeBadgerGreen2yrs2Y
So what is stopping US from just neutralizing China?
@AboardHouseRepublican2yrs2Y
The US doesn't attack countries for the hell of it. But if China decides to attack Taiwan, we've got their back.
Taiwan is in a tough spot. Finding that balance of defense hardware will be hard. Best option in my opinion is endless diplomacy. Because if war comes to Taiwan, they will almost certainly lose. I doubt that American will be with them except "in our thoughts and prayers".
US always blames Russia for any invasion in Africa, Europe and Asia.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
How would you feel if your country decided to intervene in a conflict between China, Russia, and Taiwan?
@9M58WRD2yrs2Y
Look, to be honest, it just all depends puts their nose in anything so I wouldn´t be surprised
Russia, China, Iran and other countries should be working closer together to rip up the US-dominated world order. Also, China can't "invade" Taiwan as Taiwan is China's territory.
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