Is there any evidence that they did do this? It’s “could be” and “might” and lots of things could be and might be.
I’d speculate, since we are speculating here, that China wants world-wide hegemony, and Taiwan is their next target.
But I’d also speculate that they want to get richer while gaining world-wide hegemony, so they don’t want America, Russia, Australia, Japan and South Korea making a fuss about their takeover of Taiwan.
Pull a Pearl Harbor on the US, and even with Foe Jiden nominally at the helm, sh!t will fly right at them. Milley and his pals will be given sinecures, and the real generals and admirals will take over, and Foe Jiden and Congress will just rubber stamp whatever they want to do and they’ll do it. And however many carriers China has, US naval pilots are the best and most experienced carrier pilots in the world. The Chicoms have all the toys, but don’t know how to play.
Do you recall the Palermo Senator incident off the NJ coast back in 2002...?
Its next port of call after NYC was Norfolk.
Evidence?! Of course not.
Wouldn’t it be easier (and safer) to just sell us everything until we run ut of money?