TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hillary Clinton expressed her views on the significant impact of the Russian invasion on the Chinese leadership, suggesting it had postponed Xi Jinping's (習近平) decision to invade Taiwan in an interview for the Financial Times on Sunday (May 21).

She had previously assumed "that Xi would make his move against Taiwan sometime within three to four years of really consolidating his power. I didn't know whether it'd be a cyber attack, a blockade, an invasion. I couldn't tell you that."

Clinton said that Xi's violation of a consensual agreement among the top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership, which aimed to ensure a smooth and peaceful transfer of power, raised concerns and indicated "a very worrisome sign."

"They don't have a real electoral system. It's by favor and privilege and networking. And so, people would rise up through the Communist Party apparatus. They would prove their worth and their ability with their peers. And then among them would be the next leader," she said.

Clinton pointed to the 20th Communist Party Congress, where Xi publicly humiliated his predecessor, Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), as a clear signal of Xi firmly cementing his power and expecting unwavering loyalty from others within the leadership circle.

When questioned about the shift from a positive global mindset of China's gradual integration and democratization to a zero-sum mindset, Clinton noted that investment in China's economy had been viewed as a wise and successful strategy until it reached a turning point. "It really worked, until it didn't work," she added.

According to Clinton, the change occurred due to Xi's recognition of the divisiveness and bipartisanship within American society, which China perceived as an opportunity to challenge the U.S.' global dominance.