The Biden administration believes Beijing is gauging the U.S. response to Russian threats to Ukraine as a proxy for how America would deal with more Chinese aggression against Taiwan, Bloomberg reports.
Why it matters: If Putin invades this week, as U.S. intelligence says could happen “any day now,” the West would have new worries about the security of Taiwan, which is claimed by China. Beijing has increased military activity nearby in the past two years.
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The big picture: U.S. officials told Bloomberg they believe Xi’s government is studying the cohesion of the NATO alliance as it seeks to deter Moscow.
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Secretary of State Tony Blinken said last week in Melbourne, Australia, without naming China: “Others are watching. Others are looking to all of us to see how we respond.”
Go deeper: How the Afghan fallout is shaping Biden’s response to Ukraine
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