The U.S. attack on Venezuela will embolden China to strengthen its territorial claims over areas such as Taiwan and parts of the South China Sea but will not hasten any potential invasion of Taiwan, analysts said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s considerations about Taiwan and his timeline are separate from the situation in Latin America, influenced more by China’s domestic situation than by U.S. actions, they said.
Still, analysts said, President Donald Trump’s audacious attack on Saturday, capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, hands China an unexpected opportunity that Beijing will likely use in the near term to amplify criticism of Washington and bolster its own standing on the international stage.
Further out, Beijing could leverage Trump’s move to defend its stance against the U.S. on territorial issues including Taiwan, Tibet and islands in the East and South China seas.
‘CHEAP AMMUNITION’ FOR A CHINA PUSHBACK
US Strike on Venezuela to Embolden China’s Territorial Claims, Taiwan Attack Unlikely, Analysts Say
