Posted on 08/12/2026 8:30:45 AM PDT by Robert DeLong
This video starts with a brief history of Taiwan, and the geological makeup of the island, and then dives into why this tiny little island became an extremely important nation, against all odds with their chip & semiconductors manufacturing.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
sfl
Taiwan is a hard island to invade. It’s mostly all rock and cliff on the Chinese side.
I don’t know about impossible, but right now the political infighting in the CPC has stripped all of the leadership of the PLA away and Xi does not have enough backing in the party to do much of anything. Basically it looks like the various factions have handcuffed each other.
Which may be good for china. because it lets the economy grow and change and adapt rapidly to the new industrial revolution.
China is going to get the same vast technological changes as the USA. Whatever new technology they don’t have they quickly steal from the USA—almost as fast as the USA can invent the science and technology.
From the look of it — they pretty much have 20-20 visibility in the USA.
So as long as the CPC keeps themselves locked up—China wins.
Crappy video. Doesn’t really answer the clickbaint question is proposes. Not worth watching and 940+ viewers apparently agree in the comments.
imho the calculus has changed.
The vast ai generated technological changes have made the Chinese more confident that they can win without taiwan.
Actually, it’s mostly rock and cliff on the Pacific side. The vast majority of the population and cities are on the Chinese side. I have lived in Taiwan and have traveled the entire island.
Amazingly well done.
Factually dense and interesting.
THX for sharing.
The beaches where landing would be possible are marshes. The Taiwanese have well concealed artillery covering those beaches and pipes to pump gasoline into the water.
The Chinese army needs special counselors when it spends a few days on bivouac. Most soldiers are only children and often referred to as “little princes.”
The only real fighting the CCP army did since WW2 was against Vietnam where they got their butts thoroughly kicked. Not to say that the CCP Army isn’t dangerous. But it is wholly corrupt. CCP Generals buy their positions in cash. It is not competently led. Xi wants loyalty more than anything. Like all dictators he sees competent soldiers as a threat.
China does not need to invade Taiwan to take it over. All they have to do is stop any ship from going in or out. Life on the island would deteriorate to the point the Taiwanese would have to surrender.
The counter to this would be for Taiwan to mine the heck out of every Chinese port and the sea all inside the first island chain. They could turn the mines on and off by remote control and do the same to China.
China is using Taiwan to fool people that Taiwan is really against China.
They own it, for all intents and purposes, so if the US shares technology with Taiwan, that means the ChiComs get it.
They want the status quo in perpetuity.
So, while what you say is true, it will also put China behind the 8-Ball. That is exactly why China has not taken the island so far. For they need Taiwan to even begin to keep pace with this nation.
In 2012 40% of all new US patents were by migrants.
Apparently you didn’t watch the video, or you disagreed with what aws said, but the opposite is the reality. The momontains face the pacific, while the plains face China’s maniland.
One good strike on Three Gorges would change the game.
They’ll never take Taiwan militarily, but they don’t have to.
Sooner or later, as the old guard dies off, by hook, crook, flattery, treachery and even deals, China will get Taiwan back.
What can advanced AI bring to cracking the Taiwan nut for China involving long range plans? What kind of propaganda programs for the population, what kind of vehicles and weapons to develop, or some approach that humans haven’t even thought of.
The Chinese army needs special counselors when it spends a few days on bivouac. Most soldiers are only children and often referred to as “little princes.”
..........
The only place in the world this is not true is in Africa and the Middle East
Bkmk
Taiwan has produced outstanding Little League teams in the past, although this year they failed to be the winners in the Asia-Pacific category which will compete in the Little League World Series. In recent years they have had to compete under the label of “Chinese Taipei”—obviously the LLWS organization caving in to Red China’s demands.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.