Would China be willing to destroy economic interests in Ukraine to openly side with Russia ?

[jojoju1998]

Although on the scale of things, Ukraine doesn't seem to matter to China, they do have substantial economic ties.

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/chinas-business-economic-interests-ukraine-2022-02-23/

China is Ukraine's largest importer. And Ukraine's second largest exporter.

[Santander]

China is the largest trading partner of many countries. An impoverished dump in Eastern Europe doesn't concern them that much. Do they like what Putin is doing? Not really, but they're not going to raise strong objections either.

[OSR stands with Israel]

They want to do a similar thing in Taiwan so the answer is yes

[Person Man]

They want to do a similar thing in Taiwan so the answer is yes

And they will probably be invading Taiwan by the end of the decade if Putin is ultimately successful.

[2952-0-0]

They want to do a similar thing in Taiwan so the answer is yes

And they will probably be invading Taiwan by the end of the decade if Putin is ultimately successful.

Define "successful".

Perhaps the Russian flag will fly over Kyiv in a couple of weeks, but then what? Putin will have to devote vast amounts of resources to pacifying almost 40 million new subjects who had been using his name as a profanity, and who had humiliated him by putting up a much stronger than expected resistance. Meanwhile, Russia's domestic economy will be imploding, and no amount of Chinese aid could save Putin from the consequences of his own recklessness. The longer that goes on, the likelier the chance that Putin will fall from a window overlooking Red Square. Xi is motivated by preserving his own power, and just his own power. If he sees his buddy in Moscow struggling to keep his own job even despite an apparent military victory, he will feel deeply uneasy about pulling a copycat.

In any case, it's guaranteed that Taiwan will be receiving plenty of military and political support in the coming years. I won't be surprised if we soon hear of permanent US and Japanese bases in Taiwan, with not-so-secret plans to quickly rush in tacnukes in the event of a Taiwan Strait crisis.

[Santander]

In any case, it's guaranteed that Taiwan will be receiving plenty of military and political support in the coming years. I won't be surprised if we soon hear of permanent US and Japanese bases in Taiwan, with not-so-secret plans to quickly rush in tacnukes in the event of a Taiwan Strait crisis.

1. A US base in Taiwan is completely untenable and is off the table.
2. A Japanese base in Taiwan... lol. I don't even know where to begin here but to laugh at you.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

In any case, it's guaranteed that Taiwan will be receiving plenty of military and political support in the coming years. I won't be surprised if we soon hear of permanent US and Japanese bases in Taiwan, with not-so-secret plans to quickly rush in tacnukes in the event of a Taiwan Strait crisis.

1. A US base in Taiwan is completely untenable and is off the table.
2. A Japanese base in Taiwan... lol. I don't even know where to begin here but to laugh at you.

Hey, at least the optics of a Japanese military base in Taiwan isn't as bad as a German military base in Ukraine.

[2952-0-0]

In any case, it's guaranteed that Taiwan will be receiving plenty of military and political support in the coming years. I won't be surprised if we soon hear of permanent US and Japanese bases in Taiwan, with not-so-secret plans to quickly rush in tacnukes in the event of a Taiwan Strait crisis.

1. A US base in Taiwan is completely untenable and is off the table.
2. A Japanese base in Taiwan... lol. I don't even know where to begin here but to laugh at you.

There are already several dozen US troops in Taiwan, something that would have been taboo just a few years ago. These dozens could be ramped up to hundreds, and then thousands, within a few years. They would officially be on "rotational deployment", but everyone would know their actual purpose.

Japan has been quietly but rapidly moving away from its post-WW2 pacifist stance. What was taboo just a few years ago is now either reality, or no longer taboo. In any case, the Taiwanese people view Japan as a very friendly country, unlike the Koreans or the (mainland) Chinese.

[CumbrianLefty]

China is the largest trading partner of many countries. An impoverished dump in Eastern Europe doesn't concern them that much. Do they like what Putin is doing? Not really, but they're not going to raise strong objections either.

Though OTOH its not implausible Russia were expecting them to be more overtly supportive.

[Meclazine for Israel]

China will only have to wait 3 more days and the place will be renamed Russia.

[rc18]

Don't know why people are having a go at the Chinese, they've already been more helpful in isolating Putin than the Germans.

[It’s so Joever]

The “geniuses” comparing Ukraine in Taiwan really seem to have a surface level understanding of international affairs. Here is why Taiwan is not Ukraine…

1. We have much stronger commitments to Taiwan and China knows this, contrast that with Ukraine where Biden literally said he wouldn’t get troops involved
2. We are reliant on Taiwan for semiconductors, they have a near monopoly, and letting it get into PRC hands would be a fopo disaster. Yeah Ukraine exports food…but they obviously don’t have a monopoly on it.
3. Russia is a country which has been in decline during the status quo. They have an incentive to interrupt the current order. China has been rapidly growing and would lose much more interrupting the order (although less so each year)
4. Russia has a more militaristic culture. This is likely due to geography, they needed a lot of land for a buffer due to few natural defenses and because of resource issues. China literally has control of all their barriers/buffers and nearly all the resources they need and have had such historically as well.
5. Ukraine was a part of Russia (USSR) back in the 1980s. Taiwan hasn’t been with the PRC since 1949, the same “we used to hold them” boomer mindset is not entirely there.
6. Taiwan has been literally preparing for this or the entirety of the Cold War. Ukraine wasn’t even around until the 90s as sovereign, and had very pro Russian leaders at times in office.
7. Ukraine is divided on the whole Russia issue with many ethnic Russians in the East. I dare you to find any sizeable group of pro Beijingers in Taiwan.
8. Russia has not been trying to make themselves look like a better alternative than the US to the rest of the World, China has. Invading Taiwan would kill all that effort instantly.

[It’s so Joever]

Don't know why people are having a go at the Chinese, they've already been more helpful in isolating Putin than the Germans.

[super6646]

The “geniuses” comparing Ukraine in Taiwan really seem to have a surface level understanding of international affairs. Here is why Taiwan is not Ukraine…

1. We have much stronger commitments to Taiwan and China knows this, contrast that with Ukraine where Biden literally said he wouldn’t get troops involved
2. We are reliant on Taiwan for semiconductors, they have a near monopoly, and letting it get into PRC hands would be a fopo disaster. Yeah Ukraine exports food…but they obviously don’t have a monopoly on it.
3. Russia is a country which has been in decline during the status quo. They have an incentive to interrupt the current order. China has been rapidly growing and would lose much more interrupting the order (although less so each year)
4. Russia has a more militaristic culture. This is likely due to geography, they needed a lot of land for a buffer due to few natural defenses and because of resource issues. China literally has control of all their barriers/buffers and nearly all the resources they need and have had such historically as well.
5. Ukraine was a part of Russia (USSR) back in the 1980s. Taiwan hasn’t been with the PRC since 1949, the same “we used to hold them” boomer mindset is not entirely there.
6. Taiwan has been literally preparing for this or the entirety of the Cold War. Ukraine wasn’t even around until the 90s as sovereign, and had very pro Russian leaders at times in office.
7. Ukraine is divided on the whole Russia issue with many ethnic Russians in the East. I dare you to find any sizeable group of pro Beijingers in Taiwan.
8. Russia has not been trying to make themselves look like a better alternative than the US to the rest of the World, China has. Invading Taiwan would kill all that effort instantly.

Just on this point, you are wrong about that. Taiwan was never held by the PRC, and technically has not been a part of “China” since 1895.

[It’s so Joever]

The “geniuses” comparing Ukraine in Taiwan really seem to have a surface level understanding of international affairs. Here is why Taiwan is not Ukraine…

1. We have much stronger commitments to Taiwan and China knows this, contrast that with Ukraine where Biden literally said he wouldn’t get troops involved
2. We are reliant on Taiwan for semiconductors, they have a near monopoly, and letting it get into PRC hands would be a fopo disaster. Yeah Ukraine exports food…but they obviously don’t have a monopoly on it.
3. Russia is a country which has been in decline during the status quo. They have an incentive to interrupt the current order. China has been rapidly growing and would lose much more interrupting the order (although less so each year)
4. Russia has a more militaristic culture. This is likely due to geography, they needed a lot of land for a buffer due to few natural defenses and because of resource issues. China literally has control of all their barriers/buffers and nearly all the resources they need and have had such historically as well.
5. Ukraine was a part of Russia (USSR) back in the 1980s. Taiwan hasn’t been with the PRC since 1949, the same “we used to hold them” boomer mindset is not entirely there.
6. Taiwan has been literally preparing for this or the entirety of the Cold War. Ukraine wasn’t even around until the 90s as sovereign, and had very pro Russian leaders at times in office.
7. Ukraine is divided on the whole Russia issue with many ethnic Russians in the East. I dare you to find any sizeable group of pro Beijingers in Taiwan.
8. Russia has not been trying to make themselves look like a better alternative than the US to the rest of the World, China has. Invading Taiwan would kill all that effort instantly.

Just on this point, you are wrong about that. Taiwan was never held by the PRC, and technically has not been a part of “China” since 1895.

My bad, you are correct.