Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
THE Philippine government is preparing contingencies for China’s possible invasion of Taiwan, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. said in an interview on Thursday.
“First and foremost, we really have to make an assessment whether such is likely or not, nonetheless we continue to plan on all contingencies not merely as a flashpoint between China and Taiwan but any contingency within the theater,” Teodoro said.
He said the preparations being made involve several agencies and not just the Defense department.
“The assumption is that if this will happen, it is a thing that we continue to monitor daily and hopefully the engagements bilaterally between the United States and China lead to the diffusion of tensions,” Teodoro said.
Security experts have said that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is no longer a question of “if” but “when.”
Admiral Mike Gilday, head of the US Navy, warned of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan before 2024.
On the other hand, Taiwan’s top intelligence officials warned that China could threaten war this year to coerce the Taiwanese government to agree to talks designed to bring the island under Beijing’s rule.
They said Beijing is likely to threaten war in 2023 to force Taiwan to negotiate for a “unification.”
— Franco Jose C. Baroña
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Credit belongs to: www.manilatimes.net
