US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director William Burns said that Chinese president Xi Jinping's ambitions with respect to Taiwan should not be underestimated adding that the United States knew "as a matter of intelligence" that Xi had ordered his military to be ready for the invasion by 2027.
"Now, that does not mean that he's decided to conduct an invasion in 2027, or any other year, but it's a reminder of the seriousness of his focus and his ambition," William Burns said.
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"Our assessment at CIA is that I wouldn't underestimate President Xi's ambitions with regard to Taiwan," he further said. William Burns also said that Xi Jinping was likely "surprised and unsettled" and trying to draw lessons by the "very poor performance" of Russia in Ukraine.
China has so far refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine which started in February last year.
"I think it's a mistake to underestimate the mutual commitment to that partnership, but it's not a friendship totally without limits," William Burns said adding that the next six months will be "critical" for Ukraine, as Russia has been making some gains in the recent weeks.
{{/usCountry}}"I think it's a mistake to underestimate the mutual commitment to that partnership, but it's not a friendship totally without limits," William Burns said adding that the next six months will be "critical" for Ukraine, as Russia has been making some gains in the recent weeks.
{{/usCountry}}On Iran's anti-hijab protests, the CIA chief said that Iran's government was increasingly unsettled by affairs within the country.