The United States is aware “as a matter of intelligence” that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered his military to be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027, CIA Director William Burns has said. Burns said that Xi’s order to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military may not represent his timeline for the CCP’s invasion of Taiwan, but it demonstrates his “seriousness” in pursuing this goal. Chinese incursions into Taiwan have occurred almost daily as the CCP has increased military pressure on the self-ruled island. Taiwan’s military detected 23 Chinese aircraft and four vessels on February 2, with 17 of the aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait’s median line, according to The Epoch Times. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said last month that China is “more likely” to make a move against Taiwan in 2027 as he believed Xi might see aggression against Taiwan as a way to leave a legacy from his third term in office.
