Tensions have been rising between China and the United States over Taiwan for quite some time.

Recent military drills conducted by China in response to the Taiwanese president visiting the United States have only escalated these tensions. In an Associated Press article, China’s military said it is “ready to fight” after concluding the three-day-long drills which included a simulated strike on the island. In total, the Chinese military deployed 71 aircraft and 9 naval vessels around Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joeseph Wu condemned Beijing’s actions in an interview with CNN. Wu stated, “Look at their military exercises, and also their rhetoric, they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan. The Taiwanese government considers the Chinese military a threat and something that cannot be accepted, and we condemn it.”

China claims self-governing Taiwan as its own territory and seeks to bring it under Chinese control. Chinese President Xi Xing Jinping declared in 2017 that, “The reunification of Taiwan and China would be an inevitable requirement for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” US defense officials have warned that the Chinese military could invade Taiwan by 2027.

The United States made a show of force of its own during the Chinese military drills by sailing a warship into the South China Sea. It would be clearer to specify that the United States is conducting the drills jointly with the Philippines

The US is also kicking off its largest-ever military drills with the Philippines. Twelve thousand US troops will be participating in the drills along with 5,000 Filipino troops, and 100 from Australia. it would be clearer to specify who in the White House made the statement The White House has said that the US is very confident it can protect its interests in the South China Sea region according to a Fox News article.

In a CNN piece, President Joe Biden said a number of times that the United States would intervene with military force to stop a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Each time Biden stated that the US would militarily intervene to protect Taiwan, his administration declared that no US policy has changed.

Taiwan is the world’s largest semiconductor chip maker and any armed conflict over the island would certainly disrupt this vital industry. The chips are used in everything from cars and smartphones to data centers and fighter jets. Disruption of this industry would certainly impact the United States in a negative way. The global supply chain of goods from China would also suffer incredibly in the event of a war with China over Taiwan.