Pentagon warns ‘war with China or Russia is not unlikely, it can happen at any time’

Pentagon officials have warned that war could “happened at any time” between the US and China and the US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendell said, “we may have to fight.”

This month Kendell said the US and their allies need a “sense of urgency” as “war with China or Russia is not unlikely, it can happen at any time.”

Admiral Samuel Paparo, who commands US forces in the Indo-Pacific region also warned that the Chinese military are more ready for war now than they have ever been.

China has recently threatened to bring Taiwan under China’s influence by force if needed as Beijing views the island as their territory.

In October China surrounded Taiwan and undertook military manoeuvres blocking the island which was “the largest rehearsal we’ve seen” Kendell said.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry has said that over a 25-hour period they detected a record 153 Chinese warplanes flaying around the island in a simulated blockade.

Chinese fighter jets, warships, drones and Coast Guard vessels carried out a one-day military exercise on Monday.

Of the 153 warplanes 111 crossed the Median Line, which is a demarcation point for the Taiwan Strait, Beijing does not recognise this.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said they deployed their aircraft and naval vessels to monitor Chinese military activity.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said that Taiwan is “not [a] subordinate” to China and Beijing “does not have the right to represent Taiwan,” CNN reports.

He said that the US could end up facing two nations, Russia and China who both have nuclear capabilities.

Kendell said, “The threat of nuclear war has returned in what may be even more dangerous forms.

“You will have to serve and live under a nuclear threat. You will have the task of preventing the greatest imaginable catastrophe in human history.”

The Kremlin warned the US on Wednesday that if they station any missiles in Japan this will threaten Russia’s security and Moscow will retaliate.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that Japan and the US are compiling a joint military plan for any emergency Taiwan may face from China which could see missiles being deployed.

The news agency cited US and Japanese sources saying America will deploy missiles to the Nansei Islands of Japan’s southwestern coast and the Philippines.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Japan of escalating the situation around Taiwan.

She said, “We have repeatedly warned the Japanese side that if, as a result of such co-operation, American medium-range missiles appear on its territory, this will pose a real threat to the security of our country and we will be forced to take the necessary, adequate steps to strengthen our own defence capability.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the Moscow will deploy short and intermediate range missiles in Asia should the US station missiles in Japan.