A Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) official assesses that China’s growing pessimism over its relationship with the US is making Beijing prepare for a future war it would rather not fight, Voice of America reported Wednesday.
“China doesn’t want to start a fight with us over Taiwan,” Doug Wade, the head of the DIA’s China Mission Group, said at a virtual event hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance.
“They will if they have to … they haven’t ruled it out,” Wade added. China’s official position is that it seeks “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan but doesn’t rule out using force.
While China is reluctant to start a war, Washington’s increasing support for Taipei has led to Beijing putting more military pressure on Taiwan. The US’s overall military buildup in the Asia Pacific is also naturally making China think they have to prepare for a future conflict.
The US has shown no interest in backing off, and US military officials are openly discussing their plans for a future war with China. Wade warned that the two powers are entering an “increasingly confrontational period,” which he expects to play out across all domains.
“It’ll manifest itself pretty much across the spectrum – every warfighting domain in every sphere of diplomatic, informational, economic, commercial,” Wade said.
Chinese officials have been calling for better relations with the US but have also stepped up their warnings about where the two powers are heading. “If the United States does not hit the brake, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing, and there surely will be conflict and confrontation,” Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told reporters earlier this month.
Of course, China doesn’t want war. Only lunatics in the military want war.
But there is hope after the next election in Taiwan. If Taiwan elects the Nationalist Party, who favor reunification at least on the right terms, China may offer Taiwan a good deal. After all, they speak the same language and the world economy is tilting to Asia, especially China.
I’m inclined to agree, it makes good sense.
U.S has promised to destroy their semiconductor so it doesn’t fall to the CCP. National Party will be an excellent excuse to do just that.
After seeing what happened in Hong Kong, the people of Taiwan would be insane to vote for reunification with China. Still, there are a lot of insane people in the world, so anything is possible.
Most of the insane people are in the US government and Military.
Your wishes to everyones ears. May the force be with us.
All I have to ask is you and what army?
Okay so even we admit China doesn’t want to fight this war…. so why the hell are hyping up the China threat left and right? Clearly we want the war, the wishes of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait be damned.
It’s sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy thing.
The Pentagon expects a war with China, and by preparing for that war it continually increases the chances that war will happen.
At this particular time, they seem to think better sooner than later because they consider China at a military disadvantage now, but moving toward a military advantage within 25 years or so.
Look back at the 20th century. By early in that century (War Plan Orange started developing in 1906), the US expected and started planning/preparing for an eventual war with Japan. And that planning/preparation entailed an escalating series of confrontations (such as the 1937 Panay incident, the oil embargo, etc.) which increased the probability of that war actually happening. Which it did.
Here I thought Japan attacked Pearl Harbor because they were racists and kept begging us to nuke them ’till we did. Just think of all the brainwashing you just undid, Thomas. (Sarcasm alert)
It is extremely unfortunate and difficult to understand why Taiwan accepts military aid from the USA. Taiwan has lived peacefully with China for at least 60 years. It knows China and it calls itself The Republic of China. Why does it pursue self destructive policies by inviting American congressmen and purchasing American weapons? Such policies are certain to eventually lead to an occupation from somewhere, either US, PRC or maybe even Japan. On the other hand, if it rejected all foreign aid and influence, it could remain an autonomous and prosperous part of China and over time even have an influence on Chinese policies.
Just like … Hong Kong?
what is wrong with HK?!
CCP rule.
You mean HK is part of China as it historically normally has been, as opposed to a foreign land 10,000 miles away? And your issue with that is …?
I mean FREE Hong Kong under Brit rule was better for HK than under the CCP hobnailed boots.
Ah, British boots are more comfortable than Chinese ones for citizens of China?
British rule of HK was a blink of an eye in relation to Chinese history … it was always going to end. China is China and will always be, whether communist or otherwise.
Ah, but the Brits took the boot off, which is the point.
Do you believe in self determination?
And if so, why not in HK, Catalonia, Hawaii and Puerto Rico?
There’s no law that says former China has to be maintained forever.
If the people of HK could choose they would choose independence (and you know it) however you seem to prefer … the Chinese boot.
I do believe in self determination … with the emphasis on the “self” part. I have no idea what the people of HK want. Many may have wished for independence; others may be very Chinese nationalistic. We do not know and we should not pretend to do so.
What I DO know for sure is that none of this is ANY of our business whatsoever.
Yeah sure, the million people protests and violent authoritarian crack down had you mystified? Pleez.
I certainly agree, it isn’t our business yet I definitely support their demand for a referendum to determine the future.
Of course China will never allow that because, unlike you and the vast majority of the planet, they know they’ll lose.
Our policy should be focused on disengaging from the CCP, they a cancer against democracies.
A better policy would be to engage in trade and diplomacy with China and every other nation, in accordance with international law. Even if we don’t agree with everything they do. But it’s hard to imagine the United States abiding by international law. Disengagement would at least be better than what the United States is doing now. But that’s just comparing bad to worse.
The CCP does not comply with “international law”, you are gullible.
Where did I say that China complies with international law? I said that the United States doesn’t comply with international law. That doesn’t translate to China complies with international law. Read it again.
I said we should decouple from China as fast as is possible, you said some sh1t about continuing free trade with them, the difference.
Ending trade with China would be a disaster for both countries, probably worse for the United States. But good luck with your silly idea.
Decoupling is a slow methodical process that is necessary. Strengthening your enemy is worse, so good luck with that.
China is not our enemy. But we have made it abundantly clear that we are their enemy. Which is extraordinarily stupid and dangerous.
No yo, the Uighur, Mongolians, Hong Kong-ers, Taiwanese, Philippinos, Japanese, and Malaysians disagree with you. You’ve been brainwashed.
Your mind has been clouded by neocon propaganda.
Yours has been clouded by oligarch propaganda.
It might be a slow, methodical process, but the results — decreased prosperity/increased poverty for all involved parties, and eventually war — remain the same.
Nah, we need to focus on our economy and trading with nations who are focused on their economies rather than military ambitions.
There’s not really any content to that suggestion.
“Nations” don’t trade, people do.
“Nations” — that is, Westphalian nation-state regimes — just get in the way of trade when doing so serves the regimes and the political class that uses the regimes as a way to parasitically live off the productive class.
The only worthwhile “focus” a regime can bring to its economy is to studiously focus on keeping its hands off that economy. Which it really can’t do, parasites being parasitic.
In the case of the CCP, people cannot trade without full allegiance to the party’s wishes otherwise their “social credit scores” will destroy them.
The CCP is clearly articulating it’s goal, ONE WORLD GOVT, complete with “social credit scores” against any opposition.
If we continue to feed them economically, we better start taken classes in Mandarin. They need us more than we would need them, witness Apple pulling out.
It seems pretty obvious that you and I are not both part of the same “we.”
And how to you expect to accomplish this “decoupling” without the US government requiring “full allegiance to its wishes?”
I oppose the concept of a one world govt and social credit scoring system, do you?
If you do, then feeding the development of such a system should be obviously a contradictory policy.
Yes, I oppose the concept of a one world government and social credit scoring system.
The “decoupling” you keep babbling about would require the latter and promote the former.
How does Apple leaving China, “require” a one world govt???
And I fall to see how reducing interactions with the CCP would promote a SCS.
Who besides the CCP and Democrat wants a SCS? Just not happening.
You’re way out on a limb here Tom.
What do you think “US sanctions” are?
They’re attempts to make the US government the government of the entire world.
If you’re talking about companies DECIDING to “disengage with” China, well, that’s their call to make.
If you’re talking about the US government REQUIRING companies to “disengage with” China, that’s the US government setting itself up as a world government, and scoring companies on their loyalty.
Apples and oranges.
Unlike US companies Chinese companies are not independent,
they must follow the dictates of the Chinese regime.
The regime’s policy goals, openly stated, are a one world govt and a SCSystem to manage it.
That is anathema to free trade, free nations and the US Constitution. It is an existential threat.
Therefore rather than continue as the CCP’s largest market, which feeds and funds their goals,
we must begin to reduce as much as is possible, any reliance on them.
It’s just obvious. Unless of course, you’re a Biden, and are handsomely bought off.
Maybe Taiwan is hood-winking the US if they are smart. Buy all kinds of US military weapons, and then in the next election, vote to peacefully re-unite with China, and turning all the US bought weapons over to the CCP and giving the middle finger to the US. Fooled you.
A lot of it comes down to US meddling, which involves spending billions of dollars to spread propaganda through paid for media, grooming carefully selected leaders who agree to serve the interests of the United States instead of Taiwan, and doing whatever it takes to get these puppet leaders elected.
Reminds me of Thelma and Louise. Thelma (US) proposes that they “keep going.” They kiss and then hold hands, Louise steps on the gas. They accelerate over the cliff to their death… How romantic. (Sarcasm alert)
Except they weren’t towing the rest of the world along with them.
It’s really quite simple: where Ukraine was the tool set up to weaken Russia and separate it from the developed world militarily, Taiwan is being set up for the same purpose for China. The only question is, are the people of Taiwan really willing to destroy their own country to serve the Western Empire overseas? Or are they willing to continue with their recent status of being an ambiguously independent part of China?