[familyop]

"But they will reach a point sooner than that where they can venture to force the Taiwan issue...or, more likely, keep ther Taiwan people from independence at the force of arms."

With a little insight into history and the national mind, one can see even more. Look at the period of many foreign projects in China a couple of decades before and after the turn of the last century. "One China," in a more general sense and with identity frustrations, could include Korea (both of 'em), Vietnam and much more. It's also a race/ethnic issue (beliefs in superiority there). Commonly, even many Japanese-western folks don't like hearing that redheads were once close neighbors of Mongols (re. large numbers of remains found in Siberia, Gobi desert, etc.).

[Jeff Head]

You are exactly right. If nationalism takes over, and they continue financially to make gains (and that is threatened right now), then utlimatly all of Eastern Asia will be at risk should they get the fervor like Germany or Japan did.

And they are building a military to measure up to that in the next 15-20 years.

Like the Chinese Minister of Defense and Member of the Central Military Commission, General Liang Guanglie, stated in an interview in several PRC state-backed newspapers last year,

“In the coming five years, our military will push forward preparations for military conflict in every strategic direction,”. He then added, “We may be living in peaceful times, but we can never forget war, never send the horses south or put the bayonets and guns away.”