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Beijing will be at war with the United States and possibly Australia within five years unless the United States and its allies stop it from launching a strike on Taiwan, a former Australian prime minister said.
According to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is more determined than ever to seize the self-ruled island of Taiwan. Rudd served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and June 2013 to September 2013.
“The next five years will very much shape and arguably determine the future stability of the Indo-Pacific region,” Rudd said while delivering a speech at the Australian National University on Nov. 21.
“If we fail to navigate the next five years carefully, there is a grave risk that by the late 20s and the early 30s, we could well find ourselves on the cusp of armed conflict.”
Rudd said the conflict between China and the United States over Taiwan could reach “an order of magnitude not seen since the Second World War.”
General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made it clear in July that the United States expects Australia to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with its Allies in the event of war over Taiwan.
