Taiwan has become a flashpoint in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the latest cross-strait war game exercise suggests that if China invades Taiwan, it may use nuclear weapons.
According to Taiwan News, the war scenario was run by the Washington-based Center for a New American Security (CNAS), retired Pentagon officials, US congressmen, and the broadcaster NBC, and it was based on Russia's unsuccessful invasion of Ukraine.
China Takes Measures Against Taiwan
The operation's original premise was that China would try to decapitate Taiwan's leadership as quickly as possible. It would then attack US bases in Japan and Guam ahead of schedule. In the war-game scenario, the US would most likely retaliate by attacking Chinese ports and rallying its allies. This would result in greater escalation and China's use of drastic measures, according to Big News Network.
Meanwhile, Yasuhide Nakayama, a former Japanese state minister of defense, believes that if Chinese President Xi Jinping is wise, he will not invade Taiwan. During the summit's first session, Japan's ex-minister spoke about waving the white flag during armed wars. On the question of the Ukraine crisis, he stated that Russian activities threaten not only Europe but also Japan. In fact, the war has impacted all of Russia's neighbors, as per WION via MSN.
According to satellite imaging research, the Chinese navy's massive Type 003 super-carrier was reported to be nearing completion in October of last year. However, it is believed that the stringent lockdown limitations enforced in Shanghai to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have pushed back the launch date.
China planned to deploy the vessel on April 23. The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is reported to have decided as a result of logistical issues prompted by a spike in coronavirus infections in China last month, which forced Shanghai to implement new lockdown measures.
Images of the ship published on social media have fueled speculation that it is virtually complete. Aerial photographs on Twitter show the ship in Shanghai's Jiangnan shipyard. An earlier TikTok video seemed to reveal footage of the vessel, which has been under construction since 2018. The video has subsequently been removed from the internet.
The Type 003 will be China's third and most modern aircraft carrier in its navy arsenal when it is launched. The ship is claimed to be significantly faster than China's current aircraft carriers and capable of carrying a larger arsenal of missiles on deck, Express reported.
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G7 Calls Out China
Moreover, the US, the EU, and other wealthy democracies in the Group of Seven on Saturday urged Beijing to resolutely urge Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine, reiterating past cautions against providing the Kremlin with economic or military aid.
The message came after China refused to reiterate French President Emmanuel Macron's declaration that a ceasefire in Ukraine was a common goal between Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Following the Tuesday chat, Beijing made no note of the message instead of focusing on the West's arming of Ukraine.
The G7 foreign ministers gave an unusually severe message to China in a lengthy statement issued following a conference in Germany, appealing for peace and stability in Taiwan amid diplomatic concerns over increased Chinese military pressure on the self-ruled island.
The no-limits cooperation between Beijing and Moscow, which was signed only weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, has unnerved Western countries, which are concerned that China may weaken the impact of their sanctions on Russia. China has repeatedly stated that it does not consider the sanctions legal and that it will continue to trade with Russia as usual.
The G7 comprises the United States, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and the European Union. The group also urged China to act responsibly in cyberspace, refraining from committing or supporting commercially motivated cyber-enabled intellectual property theft, Politico reported.
