The Chinese Communist Party is preparing two new aircraft carriers to be placed off the coast of Taiwan which could lead to military confrontations with US ships in the region, because relations between the two global powers have become tense due to trade problems and the coronavirus virus pandemic. , according to a report.
The Liaoning and Shandong ships, part of the People’s Liberation Army navy, conduct military readiness exercises in the Yellow Sea but are expected to move to the South China Sea to Pratas Island for a mock battle invasion, The Global Times controlled by the CCP reports.
Paying attention to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statement about territorial control over most waterways and lack of respect for the sovereignty of countries in the region, such as Taiwan, “the risk of military confrontation in the South China Sea involving the United States and China could increase significantly in eight next twelve months, “the Council on Foreign Relations said in a report released last week.
The think tank said the US had “strong interest” in stopping China from taking control of the South China Sea to keep waterways open for navigation and securing international supply chains.
“The United States also risks being drawn into military conflict with China in the region as a result of the obligations of the US defense agreement for at least one claimant to the contested territory, the Philippines,” the council said.
President Trump, who accuses Beijing of misleading the world about the coronavirus pandemic, has been at odds with Xi over China’s trade policy, which he says is stacked against US companies.
“We can cut off all ties” with China, Trump told “Fox Business” earlier this month.
The comments led Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to accuse the US of pushing the two countries to the “threshold of a new Cold War.”
“China has no intention of changing, let alone replacing, the United States,” Wang said. “It’s time for the United States to give up its dreams of transforming China and stop 1.4 billion people on their historic journey to modernization.”
