China is pursuing unification with Taiwan "on a much faster timeline" than previously expected, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.
Beijing had decided the status quo was no longer acceptable, he said.
In Sunday's speech opening the Communist party Congress in Beijing, President Xi Jinping refused to rule out using force to unify with Taiwan.
China sees the self-ruled island as a part of its territory, but Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the mainland.
Last month US President Joe Biden said US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack - despite the official US policy of ambiguity on the issue.
Speaking at an event at Stanford University on Tuesday with previous Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Mr Blinken said that if Beijing could not achieve unification by peaceful means it would use coercion and possibly force.
More at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63296105
Beijing had decided the status quo was no longer acceptable, he said.
In Sunday's speech opening the Communist party Congress in Beijing, President Xi Jinping refused to rule out using force to unify with Taiwan.
China sees the self-ruled island as a part of its territory, but Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the mainland.
Last month US President Joe Biden said US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack - despite the official US policy of ambiguity on the issue.
Speaking at an event at Stanford University on Tuesday with previous Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Mr Blinken said that if Beijing could not achieve unification by peaceful means it would use coercion and possibly force.
More at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63296105
