Pentagon frames 2027 as US readiness deadline despite unclear Chinese timetable
A US Army Pacific commander says 2027 is the year the United States must be prepared, even though U.S. intelligence sees no Chinese plan to strike Taiwan then.
2027 has become a benchmark for U.S. military preparedness concerning Taiwan, according to statements from senior Pentagon officials.
That focus comes despite a U.S. intelligence assessment released in March which concluded that mainland Chinese leaders “do not currently plan” to launch an attack on Taiwan in 2027, and that they “nor do they have a fixed timeline for achieving unification.”
General Ronald Clark, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, told reporters on Tuesday that the year “we need to be ready,” a comment recorded by the American military newspaper Stars and Stripes.
The emphasis on 2027 reflects Pentagon priorities rather than an identifiable Chinese operational timetable, analysts say.
