McCaul says China could influence, take over Taiwan in next election ‘without a shot fired’

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Sunday that China could take over Taiwan in the next election “without a shot fired” in response to a question about if the people there wanted a military confrontation.

“Now there’s a political debate here, the two different parties. One party wants to talk to China. President Tsai’s party does not want to be a part of China,” he told NBC News’ Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press.”

“I think the next elections in next January are going to be extremely important because I do believe with the former President Ma in China right now, China’s going to try to influence this next election and take over the island without a shot fired.”

McCaul led a bipartisan House delegation to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan last week after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) met with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen with a group of lawmakers. McCarthy said the meeting provided for “greater peace and stability for the world,” as China raised objections and warned of escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou arrived in China at the end of March for a 12-day visit, possibly made to be timed with the Tsai-McCarthy meeting.

McCaul said the delegation he led with spoke with Tsai on Sunday, noting that her party does not want to be a part of China. He said that events in Hong Kong and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was an “eye-opener” for the people of Taiwan, saying that they people there are “very nervous.”

The Texas Republican, who was speaking with “Meet the Press” from Taiwan, also added that the country’s defense capabilities are “not where they need to be” in a hypothetical invasion by China.

“They’re not where they need to be,” he said. “If we’re going to have deterrence for peace, we need to get these weapons into Taiwan.”