US intel softens on China threat, says no Taiwan invasion planned by 2027 despite military buildup
Despite years of warnings that China could move on Taiwan within the decade, the U.S. intelligence community now assesses that Beijing is not planning an invasion of Taiwan by 2027...
By Fox News · Fox News
Despite years of warnings that China could move on Taiwan within the decade, the U.S. intelligence community now assesses that Beijing is not planning an invasion of Taiwan by 2027 and has no fixed timeline for doing so. "The IC assesses that Chinese leaders do not currently plan to execute an invasion of Taiwan in 2027, nor do they have a fixed timeline for achieving unification," according to a newly released Annual Threat Assessment. The finding marks a shift from prior warnings in Washington that China would have the capability to move on Taiwan within a narrowing window — often referred to as the "Davidson Window," after a 2021 warning from a top U.S. Indo-Pacific commander. That benchmark gained traction after then-Indo-Pacific Commander Adm. Philip Davidson told lawmakers in 2021 that China could attempt to take control of Taiwan "in the next six years," warning the threat would "manifest during this decade." BEIJING LEVERAGES UN TROOPS, FUNDING TO EXPAND GLOBAL INFLUENCE, HOUSE REPORT WARNS China is currently "building a force with the aim of being capable of deterring U.S. and allied forces in the region and to achieve their stated objective of developing the ability to seize Taiwan by force if necessary," Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told Congress during a worldwide threat hearing Wednesday. "However, the IC assesses that China likely prefers to set the conditions for an eventual peaceful reunification with Taiwan, short of conflict." Unlike previous assessments, which focused on China’s growing military pressure and invasion capabilities, earlier reports did not make a definitive judgment about whether Beijing planned to use force. The 2024 and 2025 assessments described Taiwan as a potential flashpoint and warned China was building the capability for a cross-strait campaign, but stopped short of assigning a timeline or stating intent. Despite the assessment, the report underscores that China has not abandoned its goal of bringing Taiw…