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Another Potential Risk from China: The most likely detonator for major conflict with China is Taiwan
PJ Media ^ | 06/01/2020 | Richard Fernandez

Posted on 06/01/2020 6:21:53 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

The most likely detonator for major conflict with China is Taiwan. Hong Kong cannot be viably contested. India can defend itself. Beijing would be foolish to rerun the Korean war. That leaves Taiwan. If Taiwan declares independence it might be enough to light the fuse because China has long declared that any such efforts would be met by force.

The question arises: what if Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong precipitates a rush to Taiwanese independence? “Taiwan has moved to assure Hongkongers of “proactive rescue and possibly residency’ to help them through the precarious time facing their city.” This must rankle in Beijing. But that will only move the locus of anti CCP resistance to Taiwan as Britain became the haven of defeated continental Europeans after Dunkirk. If the battle of Hong Kong ends the battle — kinetic or otherwise — for Taiwan will begin.

Before the pandemic Taiwan had little prospect of international support for independence. China was then the linchpin of globalism. There was too much for the rest of the world to lose by crossing Beijing. The virus changed all that. What everyone feared to lose has already been lost. In addition the Chinese Communist Party’s behavior has become a major political liability in Western capitals, and as the surprising support for a virus origin inquiry shows, even in non-Western capitals.

The changed atmosphere means that for the first time in decades Taiwan has a real opportunity to gain independence. The tides of history constantly shift. For some years they were flowing Beijing’s way. Now they have turned. For both sides it’s — perhaps — now or never.

There is an opposite factor at work in the Taiwanese equation. Their principal shield against invasion used to be Beijijng’s massive world trade along the China coast.

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; conflict; hongkong; india; southchinasea; taiwan; vietnam

1 posted on 06/01/2020 6:21:53 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Taiwan is also fairly well defended all on their own.

Add in the American Navy, China would lose....very badly.


2 posted on 06/01/2020 6:26:05 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with islamic terrorists - they want to die for allah and we want to kill them.)
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To: 2banana

With the on going commie uprising in the U.S. right now, China will use it as an opportunity to to weaken us even more...


3 posted on 06/01/2020 6:35:16 AM PDT by unread (A REPUBLIC..! if you can keep it....)
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To: SeekAndFind

Hey this brings to mind....

...can we trade our “protestors” for the Hong Kong protestors?

Fair exchange! Everyone gets what they want!


4 posted on 06/01/2020 6:35:37 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Re: ...can we trade our “protestors” for the Hong Kong protestors?

If Antifa and BLM tried their schtick in China, they’d be mowed down in a jiffy — Tien An Men style.


5 posted on 06/01/2020 6:37:31 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

The next weeks, months, and years could get very dicey with China. They seem to be extra antsy to start something this year.


6 posted on 06/01/2020 6:40:37 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Yes, when China attacks you, it’s YOUR fault.


7 posted on 06/01/2020 6:48:26 AM PDT by Darteaus94025 (Can't have a Liberal without a Lie)
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To: PghBaldy

China is behaving oddly. Messing with Taiwan would be a bad idea. As another poster indicated, Taiwan is capable of a high level of self defense. And I think there is no question the US would step in and help. But China is also messing with India. India has a billion people and nuclear weapons. Why stir up trouble? But China seems eager to stir up as much trouble for itself as it can.


8 posted on 06/01/2020 6:48:37 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (If White Privilege is real, why did Elizabeth Warren lie about being an Indian?)
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To: SeekAndFind

My church has missionaries over there. I’ve been worried about this for some time. ‘Pod


9 posted on 06/01/2020 6:54:33 AM PDT by sauropod (Quarantine is when you restrict sick people, tyranny is when you restrict healthy people.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Agreed. I believe it is desperation. Tariffs have forced their hand, much like the oil embargo forced Japan to attack Pearl Harbor.


10 posted on 06/01/2020 6:55:11 AM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (Go Egypt on 0bama)
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To: SeekAndFind

Little known fact: When the Ohio-class submarine was first developed, they wrongly assumed that everything on it, missiles, computers and cooling systems, would in future get much larger. However, the opposite was true, thus smaller missiles, computers and cooling systems. So the submarine had an enormous amount of empty space.

Someone opined that a single submarine could easily transport many times America’s meager stockpile of naval mines. Why not reequip one of these submarines and fill it to the brim with all kinds of new production naval mines?

With just one pass while deploying these mines, they could make, with several layers, the Taiwan Strait impassable to ships.

Even in WWII, naval mines sunk an incredibly large number of ships. They are extremely cost effective. The weapon that has damaged more U.S. naval ships in the last 60 years is not the torpedo, the deck gun, the anti-ship missile or the terrorist attack.

It’s sea mines.

We know this, so why not use it to our advantage to defend Taiwan?


11 posted on 06/01/2020 7:19:10 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy (Liberalism is the belief everyone else should be in treatment for your disorder.)
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To: ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton

Nice analogy, I like it. It fits.


12 posted on 06/01/2020 7:24:57 AM PDT by SandwicheGuy (*The butter acts as a lubricant and speeds up the CPU)
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To: SeekAndFind

What id most of the people that mske Taiwan work - the rich, powerful, politicians etc have already secured places off-island, and could care less about China invading?


13 posted on 06/01/2020 7:25:40 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: SeekAndFind

China is now actively searching for ways to keep President Trump from another term - they know he has steel in his spine and will not be cowed by their threats.


14 posted on 06/01/2020 7:52:37 AM PDT by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: SeekAndFind

AR15s for every adult male in Taiwan.

That ought to do it.


15 posted on 06/01/2020 8:00:32 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) 2028!)
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To: All

war over taiwan will probably be the next anti trump coup attempt


16 posted on 06/01/2020 9:19:46 AM PDT by SteveH
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