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U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

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Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#41
Due to the one child policy, China is going to experience a demographic collapse this decade as more people retire than are available to replace them in the workforce. So the 2020s is the pivotal decade as China nears the height of its power. The CCP is aware of this and knows that if they are ever going to take Taiwan, it would ideally be this decade. Politically, it will also need a victory as the Chinese economy inevitably slows down due to the demographic collapse.

I fear that if the CCP manages to take Kinmen island without a devastating US response then it will be the Austria moment of our century. Obviously, a strong US response would be damaging to both countries, but the only way to deter an attack on Taiwan is to make the cost of attacking so high for the CCP that it is not worth it. While it will be difficult to justify in the short term, the US must push back strongly when China is "testing the waters" or else it will only escalate from there. If there is only a weak US response, it will embolden the CCP to continue pushing the boundaries until they do something that requires either full scale war or surrender (such as invasion of Taiwan main island).

Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#42
post #32
post #7

If you're to follow local media in China, the rhetoric around taking back Taiwan has grown stronger. Winnie the pooh also got a time limit extension on CCP leadership on the platform of a fully unified China. The signs are all there, though I just don't see how anything resembling a conventional warfare can happen there. The potential lives at risk are quite high and if the toll is that high it will be difficult to s…

Russia took Crimea even though it was recognized as territory of Ukraine. No large power recognizes Taiwan as sovereign country, not even US. The largest country that recognizes Taiwan is Guatemala. I don't see how it is out of the question that China just sails to Taiwan and takes it while everybody else stands and watches.

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Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#43

Unfortunately, I do not doubt that China will try to take Taiwan, the bigger question is how is the West going to react? I just hope we are not going to do the detrimental appeasement policy like with letting Hitler take the Sudets. I do wonder if there is a politician in the west with the stomach to confront CCP. I just cannot help but congratulate the CCP on their well played long game of chess. China has transform…

World would've been a better place.

Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#45
post #7

If you're to follow local media in China, the rhetoric around taking back Taiwan has grown stronger. Winnie the pooh also got a time limit extension on CCP leadership on the platform of a fully unified China. The signs are all there, though I just don't see how anything resembling a conventional warfare can happen there. The potential lives at risk are quite high and if the toll is that high it will be difficult to s…

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Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#46

This would be an exceptionally impatient move. If China’s economic machine continues to grow + mainland culture becomes more appealing, I could see Taiwan wanting to reunite in a few decades. It’s the same situation with Hong Kong. Had they initiated the changeover more slowly, there would be far less resistance. Instead, they ignited a movement that will probably never go away. Xi’s downfall will be his inability to…

There is a pretty big generational divide among the Taiwanese with the older generation still identifying as Chinese while the younger generation is adamantly identifying as Taiwanese. It's hard to imagine how a peaceful reunification can happen as more time goes on. Culturally the divide is becoming starker over time.

Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#47

Unfortunately, I do not doubt that China will try to take Taiwan, the bigger question is how is the West going to react? I just hope we are not going to do the detrimental appeasement policy like with letting Hitler take the Sudets. I do wonder if there is a politician in the west with the stomach to confront CCP. I just cannot help but congratulate the CCP on their well played long game of chess. China has transform…

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Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#48

This would be an exceptionally impatient move. If China’s economic machine continues to grow + mainland culture becomes more appealing, I could see Taiwan wanting to reunite in a few decades. It’s the same situation with Hong Kong. Had they initiated the changeover more slowly, there would be far less resistance. Instead, they ignited a movement that will probably never go away. Xi’s downfall will be his inability to…

This increasingly aggressive posturing makes me question China’s strength and its government’s political longevity. The difficult thing and the great thing about democracy is the stability that comes from a constant transition of power. China doesn’t have that tradition and Xi doesn’t have an “heir”. I suspect what’s really happening here is that Xi has a mandate to reunify China, which if forced, may ironically destroy China’s political ambitions.

Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#49
post #20
post #7

If you're to follow local media in China, the rhetoric around taking back Taiwan has grown stronger. Winnie the pooh also got a time limit extension on CCP leadership on the platform of a fully unified China. The signs are all there, though I just don't see how anything resembling a conventional warfare can happen there. The potential lives at risk are quite high and if the toll is that high it will be difficult to s…

There are many pro-China people living in Taiwan. So there is local support...

What do you mean by "pro-China"?

If it means that Taiwan is indeed a province of 'China' then probably. If it means supporting the People's Republic of China and Communist Party then I'm very doubtful.

Re: U.S. fears China attack on Taiwan

#50

This would be an exceptionally impatient move. If China’s economic machine continues to grow + mainland culture becomes more appealing, I could see Taiwan wanting to reunite in a few decades. It’s the same situation with Hong Kong. Had they initiated the changeover more slowly, there would be far less resistance. Instead, they ignited a movement that will probably never go away. Xi’s downfall will be his inability to…

China's economic growth has been fueled by demographics such as a young labor force. Due to the one child policy and low birth rates, they are facing a demographic collapse in the next few decades [1] as more people retire that are replaced by younger workers. If China is ever going to take over Taiwan, they would want to do so when they will be strongest which will be within the next ten years or so.

[1] https://www.dw.com/en/global-population-decline-will-hit-chi...

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