“Well of course they are, and China will follow after Russia does it.”
It is entirely possible that the Chinese threats against Taiwan are a diversionary tactic to divert attention away from the Chinese troop mobilizations in Jilin and Heilongjiang.
Just me, but it may well be that China is calculating that the Red Army gets bogged down in Ukraine and is unable to respond to a lightning invasion of the Russian Far East. The big advantage for China in such a move is two-fold:
1. The West will be relieved that Taiwan was not the actual target for Beijing.
2. With Russia bogged down in Ukraine the West will not give one single f*** that Russia is losing their Far East to China. Beijing knows this.
The recent cuddly and cooperative behavior by Beijing towards Moscow on the eve of a Russian war in Ukraine coupled with consequential reactions by NATO echo these bits of wisdom:
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”
― Sun-Tzu
“Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.”
― Sun Tzu
Wouldn’t your scenario be a major switcheroo!
“It is entirely possible that the Chinese threats against Taiwan are a diversionary tactic to divert attention away from the Chinese troop mobilizations in Jilin and Heilongjiang.”
I’m thinking that may be movement in support of North Korea, which may very well make a move against South Korea. Jilin borders North Korea, and Heilongjiang is a stone’s throw from the NK border.