Pentagon Official Discusses China’s Timeline for Taiwan Invasion

Pentagon policy chief Colin Kahl has sought to tamp down speculation about an imminent invasion of Taiwan by China, saying Beijing’s forces have “a lot of work to do” before attempting what would be one of the most difficult military campaigns in modern history. China claims the island as its own and has vowed to unify it by force if necessary, while Taiwan, whose occupants have no desire to be ruled by Beijing, says it would defend itself alone to preserve its hard-won democratic freedoms. Beijing’s designs on Taiwan were thrust into the international spotlight in early August when a…