Why would the Beijing government invade Taiwan? Couldn’t it get most of what it wants by taking control of the airspace and shipping lanes around Taiwan?
This is a complicated question. It has as much to do with history and nationalism as with realpolitik.
China would get much of what it wants by taking control of the airspace and shipping lanes around Taiwan. Control of the airspace and shipping lanes around Taiwan is a lot easier when you have bases on Taiwan.
But there’s more to it than that. China is a nation-state. Nation-states consider their territory and people to be semi-sacred. When Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, Britain didn’t defend them because they were important. Britain defended them because they were British. Similarly, China considers Taiwan to be part of China.
In a perfect world (for the People’s Republic of China), China would assimilate the Taiwanese people into the Chinese nation-state.
Why would the Beijing government invade Taiwan? Couldn’t it get most of what it wants by taking control of the airspace and shipping lanes around Taiwan?
This is a complicated question. It has as much to do with history and nationalism as with realpolitik.
China would get much of what it wants by taking control of the airspace and shipping lanes around Taiwan. Control of the airspace and shipping lanes around Taiwan is a lot easier when you have bases on Taiwan.
But there’s more to it than that. China is a nation-state. Nation-states consider their territory and people to be semi-sacred. When Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, Britain didn’t defend them because they were important. Britain defended them because they were British. Similarly, China considers Taiwan to be part of China.
In a perfect world (for the People’s Republic of China), China would assimilate the Taiwanese people into the Chinese nation-state.
Part of what I’m asking is how long would Taiwan resist assimilation if assimilation is the only way to re-establish trade with the world?
Indefinitely, I think. Nations don’t tend to surrender sovereignty just because they’re being blockaded.