The Cost Of Defending (And Taking) Taiwan

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Malcolm Davis, RCD/The Strategist: The Cost of Defending Taiwan

Taiwan is a country under siege as it faces the prospect of eventual reunification with China, on China’s terms, and potentially as soon as 2021—the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

From Xi Jinping’s perspective, the successful reunification of China and Taiwan, through force if necessary, would firmly entrench his position as China’s paramount leader, with prestige far exceeding Mao Zedong’s or Deng Xiaoping’s. Achieving that goal quickly is seen by Xi as an essential prerequisite for realising the ‘China Dream’ of national rejuvenation. As ‘a rich country with a strong army’, China would be, in every sense, a new middle kingdom—a global superpower for the 21st century—that ultimately eclipses the United States.

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WNU Editor: The impression that I am receiving from China is that many there believe it is their divine right to take Taiwan .... by force if necessary. If that happens .... the blow-back against China will be overwhelming. Unfortunately .... with each passing year I am finding that more and more people in China believe that it will be worth it, and that the geopolitical impact will benefit China well into the 22nd century. I personally think that if this is the course of action that China takes, it will be seen as one of the biggest strategic mistakes of the 21rst century, and China will be isolated both economically and diplomatically for decades.