Taiwan views on China ‘hardening,’ US spy chief tells senate committee
Bloomberg
Views in Taiwan are “hardening” in favor of independence after China’s moves in the past few years to tighten control over Hong Kong, the head of the US intelligence community said on Thursday.
“I would say that already Taiwan is hardening, to some extent, toward independence as they’re watching, essentially, what happened in Hong Kong, and I think that is an increasing challenge,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said in testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee.
Questions about China dominated the “Worldwide Threats” hearing with Haines and US Lieutenant General Scott Berrier, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
US Official Skeptical of Ceasefire as Taliban Continues Violence
A US intelligence official on Thursday said that he doubts the possibility of ceasefire in Afghanistan through talks because the level of violence in the country remains high.
Gen. Scott David Berrier, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, at the US Senate Armed Services Committee, violence remains high in Afghanistan amidst efforts for peace.
“Talks are highly unlikely to result in extended ceasefires or violence reduction while the Taliban continues to apply military pressure on the Afghan government,” he said. “At the same time, the threats from terrorist organizations will persist.”
Marine Corps Rotation to Australia Continues amid COVID Concerns
U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force-Darwin sit socially distanced on an aircraft at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 11, 2021. (Cpl. Colton K. Garrett/U.S. Marine Corps)
26 Apr 2021
Hawaii is sending more Marines to Australia this year as part of an annual rotational deployment intended to increase combat capability west of the international date line as a counter to China and while the Corps tries to keep a lid on COVID-19 cases.
The aviation combat element for Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 2021 includes approximately 450 Marines from Hawaii from a tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey squadron, a detachment of UH-1Y Venom utility and AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, and a detachment of RQ-21A Blackjack drones.
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