But while pictures of Chinese warplanes standing ready on runways and missiles being launched from warships make good television, the reality is that neither China nor Taiwan is in a good position to start a war. Therefore they should wisely avoid it. The reasons are straightforward. China's economy isn't strong enough to sustain a prolonged skirmish. Its badly managed state-owned conglomerates continue to waste substantial national resources, but Beijing lacks the will to cut out the cancer.
Systemic corruption drains the national coffers.
The banking system is teetering near bankruptcy. For all Beijing's bravado, there is no evidence that China could quickly subdue Taiwan. China's amphibious force is a crucial weak link in its military capability. A Normandy-type landing is simply not an option. Raining missiles down on Taiwan, as Beijing has threatened, may indeed cause great damage.