How To Handle China

 #362: Answer:  The US Will Take These Steps If You Don't Behave

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The reunification of China is not something I oppose, and I imagine that is how most Americans view the matter.  What does irritate is a 'husband' telling a 'wife' that she must submit, without first attracting her with righteous action.

A recent speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping restated his desire for a peaceful reunification with Taiwan, a self-governing island since China's civil war ended in 1949.  Few people have any problem with this sentiment.  Instead, the reason Taiwan has said 'no', and the US has backed them up, is because Xi's China wants its 'wife' more than it wants to please her.

Obviously, everybody has a lot on the line.  With the world's economy intimately connected, any hostilities, let alone an invasion of Taiwan, would bring ruin to our lives, planet-wide.  To avoid such a mess, the US should communicate to Xi that if he doesn't behave, the US will take the following steps:

 * Publicly link Xi to 'the husband who desires his wife, but won't please her'.  This shaming would be a big embarrassment, and if it were communicated in concert with other world leaders, the effect would be world class humiliation.

 * A next step, if necessary, would be to publicly urge the relocation of business links to other markets

 * Yet another step would be to offer incentives for said relocation, and for active government investment in necessary substitute supplies of things like rare earth metals

 * Finally, if Xi won't abide by the laws of marital engagement, a defensive military posture can be augmented

Ideally, none of the above would be necessary.  A private message, signed by the US and its allies would lay out the above four steps and ask that Xi 'attract' Taiwan in his bid for reunification.