China seeks non-military union with Taiwan, says US intelligence chief

China – Following reports about the Russian soldiers who are encountering stiff opposition in Ukraine, the chief of the United States’ intelligence community has given a hint that China is now growing more apprehensive about taking a military action against Taiwan.

Avril Haines, who is the Director of National Intelligence, said on Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the government of China is making significant efforts in order to equip their military with the capability of capturing Taiwan in spite of the participation of the United States.

She went on to say that the goal of China is to unite with Taiwan by peaceful means rather than by the use of force, which is why the Chinese government is increasing its diplomatic, economic, and military pressure.

Haines also said that China has been doing research over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

She said that China was “surprised by the degree to which the United States and Europe banded together in order to enact sanctions,” and that this is something that China would surely be looking at in the context of Taiwan.

Haines continued by saying that the Chinese may be less confident about an invasion of Taiwan after watching what occurred in Russia since they now have a better idea of what is likely to occur in such an attack.

In recent years, China’s increased military assertiveness and increased level of armed provocations in the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere around China’s periphery have only served to strengthen Washington’s belief that Taiwan is a staunch democratic partner worthy of US support as it tries to defend the island against Beijing’s efforts to coerce it into unwanted unification with China.