China's 'first' potential target could be Taiwan, warns top US commander

Taiwan could be the first potential target of China’s military aggression in the next five to 10 years, said a top United States commander on Wednesday. Philip Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command made the remarks while answering questions by Republican lawmaker Scott DesJarlais during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on national security challenges. The Republican lawmaker asked what he considers to be the most likely target of Chinese army aggression, Davidson said “Taiwan is the first.”

"Given what they've said both publicly and over time, and certainly during the tenure of Chairman Xi Jinping, I would say Taiwan is the first," Davidson said.

A day before, the top US commander had said that China’s threats toward Taiwan could further manifest ‘within the next six years’ as Beijing accelerates its regional advancements and moves to overpower the military power of the United States in Asia. China has always considered Taiwan as its own ‘breakaway province’ and has repeatedly warned of using force against the ‘elements’ that demand Tapei’s independence. However, Taiwan officially recognises itself as the Republic of China (ROC) even though Beijing has said Taiwan’sindependence means war’. The Democratic and self-ruled island lived under the constant threat of invasion by China.

The situation with China is ‘worrying’

The US’ top military officer in Asia-Pacific, Admiral Philip Davidson told the United States Senate Committee on Tuesday that he ‘worries’ China is currently accelerating its ambitions to overpower the US American military by 2050. He said that the threat of China’s invasion of Taiwan will ‘manifest’ during the coming decade or ‘six years’. 

“I worry that they’re [China] accelerating their ambitions to supplant the United States and our leadership role in the rules-based international order... by 2050,” said Washington’s top military officer in Asia-Pacific, Admiral Philip Davidson.

“Taiwan is clearly one of their ambitions before that. And I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years,” he told a US Senate armed services committee hearing.

Davidson also cautioned against the expansion of China’s military assets in the region that according to the top US admiral creates an “unfavourable” situation for the United States and reduces the level of deterrence. He said, “We are accumulating risk that may embolden China to unilaterally change the status quo before our forces may be able to deliver an effective response.”