Will China Use The Same Playbook To Take-Over Taiwan That Russia Used To Take-Over Crimea?

Simon Tisdall, The Guardian: Will China turn Taiwan into the next Crimea?

US support for Taiwan may prove red rag to bullish China given trade war and military rivalry.

China could do to Taiwan what Russia did to Crimea if Beijing’s relations with Washington, strained by an expanding trade war and military rivalry in the East and South China seas, deteriorate further.

The warning from maritime security experts follows a series of recent Chinese moves to put pressure on Taiwan’s pro-independence government. These include a vow last month by China’s president that Taiwan would face the “punishment of history” if it pursued a separatist course. “Any actions and tricks to split China are doomed to failure and will meet with the people’s condemnation,” Xi Jinping said.

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WNU Editor: There are many differences (and similarities) between Crimea and Taiwan. But unlike Crimea where the takeover was more-or-less non-violent and backed with a lot of local support (or ambivalence) .... I doubt the same will happen in Taiwan. It will be a bloody invasion with massive casualties, and it will produce an arms race in Asia (coupled with a global political crisis) that will dwarf the current arms race and tensions in eastern Europe.