What the world would look like after China would conquer the Taiwan. Humiliated America, Beijing imposes a new world order

The world seems to approach a crucial moment, one that could definitely change the course of modern history. For several days, China has worked massive military exercises around Taiwan, sending a strong and worrying signal to the entire international community. Thousands of war vessels and Chinese aircraft were mobilized, and satellite images revealed what beijing invasion platforms could be – “huge boats” that could carry thousands of soldiers and vehicles, preparing the land for a possible invasion, writes the Daily Mail.

Chinese ships in the Taiwan Coast/Photo: EPA/EFE

In the face of these challenges, the authorities in Taipei reacted quickly, lifting fighter jets and mobilizing the fleet to discourage any aggressive action of the popular release of China (PLA). But these maneuvers are only a small part of an increasingly worrying tendency, in which Beijing intensifies its pressure on the neighboring island.

China, led by President XI Jinping, considers Taiwan a “rebel” province, which must be brought back to Beijing's control, by force if necessary. Instead, Taiwan, a democratic nation, enjoys full autonomy and maintains close ties with the United States, hoping that American support will prevent the expansionist tendencies of the Beijing regime.

At present, however, concerns about a total invasion can no longer be ignored. This scenario would shake the foundations of the world as we know it and could trigger a third World War. With Donald Trump imposing high taxes on Taiwan and asking them to pay more for his defense, tensions are greater than ever. There are fears that the US president could turn Taiwan into a “exchange currency” into negotiations with China, which could radically change the balance of power in the region.

But what would happen if China was able to conquer the Taiwan and take control of this vital island? How much would this affect the global balance and how would the great powers respond?

Taiwan, although small (only 36,000 square kilometers), is of huge strategic importance. Located at the intersection of vital commercial roads in East Asia, the island is a key player in the global economy, being a major production and technology center. Also, the Taiwan Strait is a vital artery that circulates world trade, including electronics and oil, with direct implications on the world's economies.

Another crucial factor is the position of the Taiwan in the “first line of island” – a series of territories that form a natural barrier against Chinese military expansion. If Beijing would control the Taiwan, it would get an essential strategic platform to design its air and naval power over the whole region.

Photo shutterstock

China's world order

Professor Kerry Jones from King's College London believes that such an invasion would mark the end of “American hegemony” in East Asia. Taiwan control would allow China to monitor and control the main trading routes in the Pacific, significantly weakening the influence of the United States and its allies in the area.

This paradigm change would turn China from a competitor into a direct aggressor, having the ability to open the American naval power. “If Beijing would control Taiwan, they would gain a major strategic advantage over air and maritime transport routes that connect Japan and South Korea to Southeast Asia and critical resources,” explains Dr. Philip Shetler-Jones from the Royal United Institute.

Thus, it could focus more successfully on the American fleet and endanger free navigation in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, essential for global trade, but also for regional security. In this context, Xi's regime would have much more power over the economies of his neighbors and would mark a turning point in the fight for global supremacy.

Effects on the US and its alliances

A Taiwan's successful invasion would mean a crushing defeat for the United States, which would lose not only a crucial strategic alliance, but also the status of a global leader in the face of China. Asia allies, such as Japan and South Korea, would be forced to review their relationships with Washington and orient themselves to Beijing, while transcontinental alliances, such as Quad and NATO, would be hit by a humiliating failure.

The decline of US influence in the region would also strengthen the positions of North Korea, whose leader, Kim Jong Un, could take advantage of global confusion to expand their regional ambitions. An attack by North Korea on South Korea would become more likely, as Kim would feel the time conducive to launching its offensive.

Taiwan under Chinese control

If China were able to take over the Taiwan, the future of the island would be bleak. As in Hong Kong, where the Chinese regime imposed a law of national security that destroyed fundamental freedoms, Taiwan would experience a severe repression of democracy. The free electoral system would be abolished, the media would be under the total control of the state, and the freedom of movement and expression would gradually disappear.

Even if Taiwan was under direct military occupation, internal resistance could be much stronger than in Hong Kong, considering that most of the population is considered particularly related to its Taiwanese identity, not Chinese.

How could China conquer Taiwan?

China already has a number of options to try to force the Taiwan to obey, including naval blockages, cyber attacks and economic pressures. In an extreme scenario, Beijing could launch an invasion in the “Z day” style, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of soldiers and using new transport technologies to overcome Taiwan's defenses.

Although many experts believe that a direct invasion is unlikely due to huge costs, escalating tensions and intensifying military exercises around Taiwan could lead, at one point, to a conflict of global proportions. However, any mistake could cause a total war, and the dangers of a large conflict are greater than ever, notes the Daily Mail.