Defence intelligence agencies were worried that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine would embolden China to do the same with Taiwan, says the chief of Canada’s military intelligence branch, noting the West’s swift response to the conflict could deter China.
“Prior to a week ago, we were very concerned about China and in fact wondering if China would take the opportunity to accelerate their own plans for greater control of their near abroad, specifically Taiwan,” Major-General Michael Wright told the Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN) on March 2.
In response to the invasion of Ukraine, Western nations have imposed a barrage of economic sanctions targeting Russia’s banking system, state-controlled companies, and oligarchs, with an aim to cripple the Kremlin’s ability to fund their military campaign.
Companies in Europe, Canada, and the United States have followed suit by refusing to export Russian consumer goods. Major oil companies such as Shell also announced on Feb. 28 that it will exit all of its Russian operations, following in the footsteps of BP who said it will sell its shares in Russian state firm Rosneft.
Asked by NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen whether the response from Western nations to the Ukrainian conflict has in any way “given China pause” in its Taiwan ambitions, Wright said Beijing should take note.
“I would hope that with the reaction of the international community, and specifically NATO and the West, that China would have pause for any of their authoritarian plans for the future,” he said.
The Feb. 24 sortie marked the 13th incursion in Taiwan’s airspace in February. In a large-scale incursion in late January, the Chinese military sent 39 aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ in an apparent attempt to intimidate and exhaust Taiwan’s military.
