hina might invade Taiwan inside two years, a former US nationwide safety adviser has warned.

Despite repeated fears over the way forward for Taiwan, Robert O’Brien, a former US nationwide safety adviser has warned the window for a full scale invasion of the island from the mainland had now shortened much more so.

In 2021, then commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Philip Davidson, warned at a US Senate listening to that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) assault on Taiwan might happen throughout the subsequent six years or by 2027.

Amid escalated tensions between the 2 states, Mr O’Brien advised the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun: “I believe that window has gotten smaller, I think it’s down to a year or two.”

Due to the fears of an impending invasion, he referred to as on the US and its allies to provide Taiwan the arms and diplomatic skill to defend itself, in any other case “we could be in a very dangerous situation in Taiwan”.

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This comes after two Chinese drones have been seen over Taiwan within the final week. One TB-001 armed reconnaissance drone was seen flying counter clockwise across the island’s southwest.

A second was seen transferring clockwise from north to east after which to the southwest on Wednesday.

“The reality is that Xi Jinping has directed his military to provide him with the military option essentially to be able to take it without concern of our intervention,” US Senate armed companies committee, Avril Haines, director of nationwide intelligence mentioned earlier than a US Senate committee.

“And that is something that will have a meaningful impact on his capacity to do so and also his decision-making presumably.”

China views Taiwan as a part of its personal territory and Xi has vowed to reclaim it.

Last month, the Chinese navy started rehearsing the encirclement of Taiwan as a part of the military’s navy drills.

The Taiwanese Defence Ministry mentioned 71 Chinese navy planes and 9 ships crossed the Taiwan Strait median line – an unofficial dividing line between Chinese and Taiwanese territory – at round 9am UK time.

Chinese state media mentioned the navy drills would “simultaneously organise patrols and advances around Taiwan, shaping an all-round encirclement and deterrence posture”.

Also final month, China introduced sanctions in opposition to the US in retaliation for House speaker Kevin McCarthy’s assembly with the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen.

The measures introduced apply to Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the US, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and the Hudson Institute, a Washington assume tank that hosted Ms Tsai in New York and introduced her with a management award.

While the US has no official relations with Taiwan, Washington maintains casual and business ties with the island and has agreed a number of arms offers to provide Taipei.