Will A Taiwan Invasion Be Too Costly For China To Undertake?

A Taiwanese naval ceremony at Kaohsiung's Zuoying base, Taiwan, November 2018. Tyrone Siu / REUTERS  

AFP: A Chinese invasion of Taiwan: Too costly to countenance? 

On Taiwan's tiny Penghu islands, the missile bases that sit next to white-sand beaches and bustling fish markets are a visceral reminder of the constant threat of attack from China. 

Despite the huge military discrepancy between the two sides, many analysts believe Taiwan's location, inhospitable terrain and US support mean China would find a full-scale invasion extremely hard -- and possibly too costly to countenance. 

Communist China and Taiwan split at the end of a civil war in 1949 with the losing Kuomintang forces retreating to the island. But Beijing insists now-democratically run Taiwan is part of its territory, and that it will one day re-take it, by force if necessary.  

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WNU Editor: Quoting former US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld .... "you go to war with the Army you have". If Chinese President Xi deems it necessary to invade Taiwan, he will proceed regardless of the military he has or the cost. 

As to what will be the situation for Beijing to launch an invasion?

Taiwan declaring independence is the red flag.