The US Director of National Intelligence says that China doesn’t want a military conflict over Taiwan though it is determined to bring Taiwan under its control. Avrila Haines made the remarks to the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday in an annual briefing.
Haines said, “Xi Jinping has made it quite clear that something has to happen."
She added that Beijing would prefer to use peaceful means but it is “utterly committed to unification”.
Haines said that if war does break out, it would have enormous economic implications. This is especially true if Taiwan’s semiconductor production is disrupted as Taiwan’s microchips can be found in almost every sector in the world. When asked about President Biden’s repeated comments about America’s commitment to defend Taiwan, Haines said that there has been no change in US policy. However, she added that Biden’s comments should make it “clear to the Chinese what our position is”.
The remarks by top intelligence officials such as Haines highlight how seriously the threat of China is seen in Washington.