“Destroying that source would set China back years.”
The CCP doesn’t care. Their policies are right now gutting the Chinese economy as CCP power is reimposed.
If China had any sense they’d oust Taiwan and force it into independence the same way Malaysia ousted Singapore. They’d resolve the Taiwan question and settle a lot of frayed nerves in the western Pacific.
I respectfully disagree. China is in no condition to fight a war like that.
Do they wish to take over the economies of the world? Yup. But they remain in a precarious situation right now. Their internal economy is in rough shape. Demographically, they are aging and cancer ridden. Their population is set to decline to under a billion people.
They depend on too many resources from outside. They get about 80% of their fuel imported through the straits, and through two pipelines from Russia. They are mining Africa and Central Asia into oblivion.
They are much more likely to try to grab resources in Russia before they go after the chip makers in Taiwan.
Taiwan is a strategic point for China as they would be able to control the sea lanes in the China Sea. But, right now that is not as critical as their resource constraints.
People thinking they are going to destroy Taiwan, engage the US, and have their economy destroyed are playing some kind of Call of Duty Fantasy game. Wars are won with logistics and the pieces are not lining up for them now-and they won’t for years to come.