Taipei [Taiwan], January 29 : The US military commander in the Pacific on Friday said that China is likely to demonstrate its force against Taiwan after its recent polls, Taiwan News reported.
US Indo-Pacific commander Admiral John C Aquilino was the keynote speaker at the Pacific Forum held in Hawaii's Honolulu on January 26.
In his opening remarks, Aquilino said the US is monitoring China's ongoing "coercive pressure campaign against Taiwan" after the presidential election on January 13.
Aquilino predicted that China will launch "some demonstration of force against Taiwan in the near term." He said Beijing will take this punitive action simply because Taiwan conducted a "free and fair election, of which a candidate was elected."
He said that China will try to put pressure on nations that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. He stressed that Nauru cut ties with Taiwan just two days after the polls and alleged that their official statements following the severing of ties were "probably authored by the PRC."
During the question-and-answer session at the event, he was questioned on how he believes the election result will impact China's harassment against Taiwan, according to Taiwan News report.
In response, he said that based on past behaviour, "When something occurs that they don't like, they tend to take action" and mentioned that China ramped-up military exercises after former US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, Taiwan News reported.
He suggested that China will launch provocative actions that are not triggered by actual movements of the US. However, he added that they will be shown in the "information space" as a response to US aggression, according to Taiwan News report.
John C Aquilino stressed that even though such alleged aggression did not occur, "they've just got to say it enough times." He stated that it is important that they understand "what should come and you should expect it." He said that he has urged allies and partners to help "push back against mis and disinformation."
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