Gordon Chang, the author of "The Coming Collapse of China," said Sunday on Newsmax that the Chinese spy balloon that flew over several key U.S. military and nuclear sites before being shot down in the Atlantic Ocean shows the Chinese Communist Party officials "certainly are" preparing for an invasion.
"We know that, for instance, Xi Jinping talks about war all the time," Chang said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "At the Communist Party's 20th National Congress in October, he appointed what is called its war cabinet, but we also know it's more than just words. He is engaged in the fastest military build-up since the Second World War."
Xi is also trying to "sanction-proof" his regime and he is mobilizing China's civilians for war, Chang added, noting that "as we just learned, he's sending spy balloons around the world, including one over the United States."
Chang's comments come after his column for The New York Post, in which he wrote that the massive Chinese spy balloon incursion into the United States looks like a "precursor to an attack," and that its path over the United States' most sensitive military sites "suggests China is gathering intelligence for either a first or second strike on America's nukes."
"Whatever China is planning, the violation of American territorial airspace was blatant and revealed the dangerous mentality of Chinese leadership," Chang also wrote.
Sunday, he told Newsmax that by using a balloon rather than satellite surveillance, China could see "a lot more" at 60,000 feet, and also, the move allowed China to observe U.S. reactions that would prove "invaluable" if there should be an attack.
"China saw the reactions of not only the national security establishment, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but they saw what whole commands do like NORAD, and they saw the decision making by specific generals," said Chang. "This is invaluable in terms of if you're planning an attack."
He pointed out that the balloon flew over nuclear sites, including the F.E. Warren and Minot Air Force Bases, which house American Minutemen III wings, and close to Whiteman Air Force base, home of the nuclear-capable B-2 bombers, and Offutt Air Force Base, which headquarters Strategic Command.
"These are critical to America's nuclear deterrent, two legs of the triad, so clearly, they saw a lot on that," said Chang.
Meanwhile, China and Russia have signed a mutual friendship agreement, and Chang noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after meeting with his Chinese counterpart, said the communist nation might be supplying lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
"China's already been supplying lethal aid and it's time enough for the warnings," said Chang. "It's now time to impose costs on China because, from the very beginning of this war, Beijing has been backing Russia to the hilt."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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