If formal embassy relations with the US is salami slicing then why not outright independence as well?
That is just a useless formality. US regularly violates 'One China' principle with arm-sales to Taiwan, Trump recieved Tsai Ing-wen's congratulatory phone call, and there are regular high-level visits by US lawmakers to Taiwan. With exception of 'in name', Taiwan is defacto independent at this point. If US elevates embassy relations, then cut off diplomatic relations, not war.
The issue is whether US will weaponize China's sensitivity to bait it into a
war that will tank Chinese GDP as it enters into a critical decade and overtake US. US is still militarily/economically dominant, so the next 5-10 year window is closing where it can stop China from eclipsing US as the #1 economic superpower. China shouldn't take any bait and not go to war. At best, cut off diplomatic relations.
Pushing for name change sure is salami slicing but formal relations is different and the West will take it as a signal to push for it.
If West elevates to embassy level and push for alliance/troops/bases/nukes on Taiwan, then definitely go to war. If West just wants an embassy level, then cut off diplomatic relations (but not war). If Taiwan declares independence formally, then definitely go to war.
Might as well say China shouldn’t response until it’s becomes an interstellar empire across 50 star systems.
Exactly. The only trigger for war should be: a) there is an alliance/troops/bases/nukes on Taiwan, or b) Taiwan formally declares independence, and c) wait until global WW3, let's pummel Taiwan, reunify, and restart the world from scratch so everyone is rebuilding society in equal footing. So China might never reunify with Taiwan in the next 100 years or longer, which might be fine. Taiwan-China trade is mutually beneficial and status quo seems to work well for both sides.... but US doesn't like that and wants to disrupt China's rise by baiting it into war so it can sanction the living shit out of it like it does with Russia.
US already has Taiwan Cultural Office, so do most other Western countries. Any formal embassy would mean US elevation state to state relations, so violation of one-China policy. Even Taiwan knows this.
US only '
acknowledges' One-China policy, it never formally accepts China's interpretation of sovereignty over Taiwan island. China is fine with that, even begrudgingly tolerates US arm-sales to Taiwan which also violates 'One China policy'. At best, cut off diplomatic relations with US if they elevate embassy relations, but don't go to war (yet). If Taiwan formally declares independence, then go to war. If there is alliance/troops/bases/nukes, then go to war. At this point, embassy names is a superficial and can be weaponized to trigger an oversensitive Chinese response and bait it into war at a bad timing. China should decide war on it's own timing and on it's own terms, not dictated by impulsive desperate declining power.
