It was a wonderful non-compromise. Su told me that for a number of years he believed that Taiwan might truly be able to “float” in between the great powers, supplying both, siding with neither. As their relative power rose and fell, Taiwan could shift alliances and strategies accordingly—a sort of “strategic equilibrium” that others have attempted. It was very French. Naturally, it couldn’t last. Over the next few decades, the delicate political balance—held together chiefly by mutual economic benefit—began to fray at the edges. While trade increased, China used every bit of its economic
...more
