A senior United States admiral has stated that Chinese leadership has instructed the military to ready itself for the potential invasion of Taiwan by the year 2027.

“All indications point to the [People’s Liberation Army] meeting President Xi Jinping’s directive to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027,” Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in prepared testimony to U.S. Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Newsweek reported.

“Although the [People’s Republic of China] claims it prefers to achieve unification through peaceful means, Xi will not renounce the use of force,” Aquilino added.

Admiral Aquilino, who has led the Indo-Pacific Command for three years, is preparing to retire. His exit coincides with a crucial juncture as China poses challenges to the traditional hub-and-spoke system of U.S. alliances in Asia.

The rapid modernization of the Chinese military under Xi Jinping has fueled speculation regarding the potential use of force to reunify Taiwan with the mainland.

Despite not having direct control over the self-governed island since the Chinese Communist Party’s ascension to power in 1949, the People’s Republic of China regards Taiwan as an integral part of its historical territory.

Written by B.C. Begley