At 13:45 GMT, The People’s Liberation Army Navy began a three pronged invasion of Taiwan’s Kinmen islands, a series of small but populated islands only around 10km from Mainland China. Missile strikes quickly immobilized the army bases located there and about three Taiwanese corvettes and two cruisers are believed to have been sunk. China also launched a simultaneous bombing campaign which has been met with a flurry of international condemnation. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Huang claimed that China is “lighting the embers that will engulf all of Asia in a flame the likes of which has not been seen since 1945.” The Chinese government has ordered the embassies of the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and that of 34 European nations to leave the country. At the same time, about 750,000 troops and two Carrier strike groups are being moved to the Indian border. China maintains that there will be no conflict with India and the units are being placed there as a precautionary measure. Critics express doubt and point to the tense situation that both countries face in the face of a geopolitical rivalry and border clashes which left scores dead on both sides in the last several years. China also has territorial claims in Northern India.