After a U.S. general caused concern with a memo that warned that the country would fight China in the following two years, a top Republican in the U.S. Congress stated on Sunday that the likelihood of a conflict with China over Taiwan “is very high.”
General Mike Minihan, who is in charge of the Air Mobility Command, wrote to the leadership of its about 110,000 soldiers on February 1 but just made it public on Friday, saying, “My instinct tells me we will fight in 2025.”
“I really hope he’s mistaken. But I think he’s right “On Sunday, Mike McCaul, the incoming chairman of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, stated.
Although the general’s opinions may not always reflect those of the Pentagon, they do demonstrate worry at the highest levels of the U.S. military regarding a potential Chinese effort to impose control over Taiwan, which China sees as a rebellious province.
In 2024, there will be presidential elections in the US and Taiwan, which could present a chance for China to launch a military operation, Minihan wrote.
According to McCaul, if China is unable to seize control of Taiwan peacefully, “They will likely consider an invasion by military forces, in my opinion. To handle this, we must be ready.”
After the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan that increased the likelihood of war with China, he charged that the Democratic administration of President Joe Biden was projecting weakness.
The likelihood of a conflict involving China, Taiwan, and the Indo-Pacific region is very high, according to McCaul.
Minihan’s evaluation was rejected by Representative Adam Smith, the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Sunday, Smith stated that a confrontation with China is “It is not just unlikely, but also not inevitable. China is currently in a very hazardous situation. However, I believe generals should use extreme caution when declaring that war is inevitable.”
Smith stated that the US must be able to prevent China from attacking Taiwan militarily, but added, “I’m totally sure we can avoid that conflict if we adopt the correct approach.”
Increased military activity by China near the Taiwan Strait earlier this month was questioned by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as a possible precursor to Beijing’s impending invasion of the island.
On Saturday, a Pentagon representative stated that the general’s remarks were “not indicative of the department’s perspective on China.”
