Trading Taiwan for peace with China is a dangerous illusion

Taiwan’s story is the mirror image. Twenty-three million people built a world-class economy and a resilient democracy by pairing technological excellence with open debate and free exchange.

Subordinating that success to the dictates of an authoritarian system holds no appeal, especially after the unraveling of Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” — the very template once marketed to Taiwan. If Beijing wouldn’t keep that promise for Hong Kong, why would it honor it for Taiwan?

Taiwan sits at the center of global semiconductor production. Moving it into Beijing’s orbit would concentrate, not diversify, risk, placing the world’s most advanced chips and manufacturing know-how under the political leverage of an authoritarian state.