China wants to take Taiwan peacefully but is preparing militarily -U.S. intelligence officials

China would prefer to take over neighboring Taiwan without military action but is working to get to a position where its military could prevail even if the United States intervenes, U.S. intelligence chiefs said on Tuesday.

China views Taiwan, a democratically governed island, as its “sacred” territory and has never renounced the possible use of force to ensure eventual unification.

The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its most important international supporter and arms supplier, making it a constant source of tension between Beijing and Washington.

“It’s our view that they (the Chinese) are working hard to effectively put themselves into a position in which their military is capable of taking Taiwan over our intervention,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee.