Cotton on Taiwan: ‘I’m Concerned that as Early as Next Year Xi Jinping Could Decide to Go for the Jugular’

During an interview with Fox News, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) warned China could soon move to follow through with its threat to take Taiwan.

According to the Arkansas Republican, the move on Taiwan from Chinese President Xi Jinping may come in 2023.

“I’m concerned that as early as next year, Xi Jinping could decide to go for the jugular,” he said. “This has been a very important year for him in China. He just secured an unprecedented third five-year term. He’s made it clear that by the end of that five-year term in 2027, he wants to invade and annex Taiwan back to mainland China. I think he may see a window of opportunity to do so in the next couple of years in the same way that Vladimir Putin saw a window of opportunity to go for the jugular in Ukraine earlier this year.”

“Even if President Biden believed that an invasion is not imminent, I would suggest that it’s not helpful to say that publicly because it might invite more adventurism from Xi Jinping,” Cotton added. “What we should be doing instead is working with Taiwan, making sure they’re armed up to prevent any such invasion.”

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