[Lafcadio]

Not comparable at all. Protecting Taiwan has been a foundational element of American foreign policy. A Chinese invasion would signal to the world a huge shift in power and would effectively be the end of US dominance over the world stage.

[liberte82]

It would be a shift, not an end. The world is essentially dividing itself up into the three regions described in 1984, to an almost eerie extent. The US will maintain its own power base through increased control over North and South America.

[zdky]

The only chance that would trigger China invading Taiwan is that it declares to be an fully independent country, in which case China will probably do so at any cost, even if it means full scale war with U.S. Will U.S. be ready for that?