China does not plan to invade Taiwan in 2027 – US intel report

WASHINGTON, D.C. — China does not currently plan to invade Taiwan next year, but is seeking to take control of the self-ruled island without using force, said an annual United States intelligence report released on Wednesday. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring Taipei under its control, stepping up military pressure in recent years with drills staged around the island. The intelligence community “assesses that Chinese leaders do not currently plan to execute an invasion of Taiwan in 2027, nor do they have a fixed timeline for achieving unification,” said its…