China could invade Taiwan in 2023-24, warns US Navy chief

Xi mentioned that Beijing would “never promise to renounce the use of force” and threatened to use "all measures necessary" to achieve reunification. However, he gave no timeframe for the same.

Explained: What is the ‘one country, two systems’ policy of China

At the Atlantic Council event Adm. Gilday said that his assessment was not based just on speeches by the Chinese President, but “how the Chinese behave and what they do."

"What we’ve seen over the past 20 years is that they have delivered on every promise they've made earlier than they said they were going to deliver on it," said Gilday, according to a Radio Free Asia report. He added that when a 2027 window is mentioned, in his mind it has to be a 2022 window, or a 2023 window and it can't be ruled out.

Gilday is not the only American official to warn of an invasion of Taiwan sooner-than-expected.

Also Read | Key highlights from Xi Jinping's opening speech at China's Communist Party Congress

Last year, the US Indo-Pacific Command chief, Adm Phil Davidson, warned the US Congress that China was pursuing the military ability to invade Taiwan by 2027.

This week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Beijing was pursuing "reunification" with Taiwan "much faster" and there has been "a change in approach” by Beijing.

Earlier this week, Taiwan's top intelligence official also warned that China could threaten war next year to coerce the Taiwanese government to agree to bring the island democracy under Beijing's rule, as per a Nekkei Asia report.