"It's nonsense. I don't see any daylight between them." So said Professor David Shambaugh at the Council on Foreign Relations today when asked about pulling a "Nixon" in trying to weaken the China-Russia relationship. This makes sense since the Russian dictator Putin needs China to prop up his war-depleted military and sanctions-depleted economy and China covets cheap Russian oil.
Shambaugh, a professor at The George Washington University and old China hand, was also asked about the precarious China-Taiwan relationship. He said that dictator Xi has told his military to be prepared to attack Taiwan by 2027. China continues to know how to take the long view. Shambaugh referenced Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, who testified recently that Chinese military pressure in Taiwan has reached a boiling point. Beijing's frequent, massive military exercises across sea, land, air, space, and cyber domains has reached a "boiling point," according to Paparo. With an air of inevitability, Paparo has also said that, "These are not exercises; they're dress rehearsals."
The longer Putin gets away with invading Ukraine and occupying an independent nation that represents no threat, the more likely China will do similarly with Taiwan.
Professor David Shambaugh today.