[Skybird]

I say again, the Chinese must not project their power over global distances when waging war against the US Navy. That war would be fought in close vicinity to China's landmass and many "island-carriers" and missile bastions and bases at the coast.

Its only a question of time anyway until China has a real blue water fleet with globla reach. They buy bases and airports and harbours in Europe, Africa... Do you think all that is only civilian trade effort?

Different to Russia, they are a real high tech nation - and different to Russia with enormous production capacities. And like Russia with a population ready to suffer great losses, if need be. And like Russia, their numerical defence budget value is not standardized to accoutn for lower prporeduciton costs, lower fatcor worker wages, and the ability to comamnd what the eocnomy shgould do and produce and when and at what cost. Take the published defenc ebdget, but to see what they can do with it comolared to Western budgets, multiply the Chinese budgets by several factors, most likely. Then you get an idea of their real defence spendings' condensate in material and effort.

Finally, do not forget that the US scatters its military power all over the place/globe, whereas the Chinese can and do focus their power all in a relatviely limited, small focus of interest region if clashing with the US Navy.

And Taiwan, it gets reported since years that the defence moral of the country has tremendously suffered in the recent decade(s). They talk the talk, but their military potence is such that I have some doubts that can walk the walk. And before Ukraine war at least it also was reported by foreign correspondents that they cannot really imagine to get attacked in all seroiusness. Like the Ukrainians did not belie it even days before the Russians invaded.

No side there - China, Taiwain or the US - has any reason to feel too self-assured when seeing how the Ukrainians deal with the Russians. The Ukrainian war shows all three of them just how vulnerable they are. Missiles and drones are the big equalizer.