Likelihood of hot war between U.S. and China could increase if Taiwan isn't secure

ADVERTISEMENT. A special report released by The Heritage Foundation on Wednesday lays out how U.S. national security could be impacted should China take over the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan. ADVERTISEMENT. "Chinese control of Taiwan would make Japan so vulnerable that in 2021, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe candidly declared that 'a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan-U.S. alliance,'" writes Cunningham. "Statements like this show that the likelihood of a Japanese intervention in a Taiwan conflict is higher than any sitting government in Tokyo cares to admit publicly," Cunningham writes. In addition to U.S. national security, Cunningham also highlights the potentially devastating impact a Chinese takeover of Taiwan could have on both the global and U.S. economy. He notes later in his report that "Bloomberg Economics has estimated that a war over Taiwan would cost far more: $10 trillion, or 10 percent of global GDP.". Lastly, Cunningham presents five recommendations for Washington with the goal of keeping Taiwan secure and free from the Chinese Communist Party's control. "The main imperative of an effective U.S. Taiwan policy must be to preserve the status quo, which is that Taiwan continues to enjoy de facto sovereignty without either side of the Strait forcing a change through unification or formal independence," Cunningham writes.