[Skybird]

Originally Posted by mapuc

So many thoughts and questions related to military, economy, politics and psychology-

How eager is China to take Taiwan which they see as a part of their country ?

Totally.

How eager is USA to engage in a military conflict with China, if China use its military to take Taiwan ?

Not very. High losses, little gains.

Could it be, that this Chinese military build-up near Taiwan is nothing more than sabel-something(forgot the word)and a message to the people in Taiwan to put their vote on a Chinese friendly government.

Unlikely. The military build-up of the past 20 years was a reaction to the war 1991, and a chnage in their stand to enforce Taiwan coming home into the Reich even by force, if it cannot be acchieved peacefully. This means they must be able to keep American carrier groups away from the war region Taiwan, and to drown Taiwanese defense with floods and floods of missiles . They also now have most likely to ferry a sufficient ground force in. The ytrain frequently to cross the straits under fire.

I do know the chain of command is totally different in China then it is here.

This create the next question

Our politicians how determent will they be if China do attack Taiwan ?

Trump's talkings ("Why caring for the drivel of yesterday when today I can talk brand new drivel?"), and the way how Brexit goes, and the military strength of the EU, all give you the answer.

Japan will be sensible to engaging in a big war with China. Different to the US, Japan is close to China and cannot just move its home islands out of harms way.

If I know our politicians I presume most highly it will be nothing more than sabel-something(still forgot the word), big words against China and perhaps some sanctions.

Sabre-rattling. You are most likely right there. The EU will protest. The UN will regret. The US will fire words with a word-gatling gun. Note that already decades ago they accepted this ting called "one-China-policy".

And Taiwan? Would face utmost destruction in case of full military resistance. the PR has more missiles than Taiwan has to catch them in the air. And the PR still stockpiles them up. If the PR goes to war over Taiwan, it will do whwatever is needed to conquer it. The price for the West to do what is needed to prevent that, is too high. The poublic here does not forgive high losses, nor can the military digest high losses anymore, it has become too fragile in numbers. Its like a heavy boxer with big punch - but cannot take blows and has a glass chin.

It took the Chinese two and a half decade to mostky catch up. We are now in a phase where technologically they are equal, in some areas even take the lead and become the motor of innovation, not just copying the West anymore. In ten years, I bet, judging by their pace of the past, they will be clearly superior over the USN in the near-China region. Many analysts said already years ago that already now they are, at least in their own waters and in support range by forces from the land. That is no surprise, if one looks at how they ran in the past 20, 25 years. They have boosted their defenc ebudget by many factors, probably two digit factors - and they do not distribute it all across the planet, like the US.

Most important, maybe: Taiwan for them is a deeply heart-felt, historic mission. That raises a spirit of a certain kind that is like a catalysator for efforts they undertake.

And btw, since you said "our polticians": why should small European states think it is their business to get enagge din a big war on the other side of the pkanet and against the next global dominator in the world that takes over that role form the US...? That the US get engaged in any form, is understandable, it is the old king defending his crown against the new king. But Europe? Is history. Many just do not understand that.