William Burns said this would not change China’s long-term goals of gaining control of Taiwan.
Washington:
US Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns said on Saturday that Beijing was closely monitoring Russia’s conflict in Ukraine and that it was influencing China’s calculations on Taiwan.
Burns, who was speaking at a Financial Times event in Washington, said the Chinese government’s leadership has been affected by Ukraine’s fierce resistance to Russia’s aggression and the economic cost Russia is facing. “These are things they’re weighing very carefully,” Burns said.
However, he cautioned that this would not change China’s long-term goals.
“I don’t think for a minute that this has broken Beijing’s determination over time to regain control of Taiwan,” Burns said. “But I think it’s something that’s affecting their calculations of how and when they do it.”
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