4 ms·
China can just starve Taiwan.
by tomp 5y ago
China can just starve Taiwan.
- djohnston 5y agoThat would likely lead to open war with the US on the limit of free navigation.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- sofixa 5y agoA naval blockade in disputed waters the US is saying ( but not guaranteeing) they'll protect can easily escalate. But it's true that it wouldn't result in a direct bloodbath outright.
- seanmcdirmid 5y agoTaiwan doesn’t need to import food from the mainland to survive. China is hemmed in by Japan, Taiwan, Russia, and korea, meaning they don’t have much chance of a naval blockade either. Maybe Kinmen Island, but I’m not sure how that part of Taiwan would survive any conflict with China. 127k people live there, so I guess that’s something China could starve, or just annex it outright.
- graderjs 5y agoIf there's a blockade on kinmen everyone could just live on the liquor. ;) Not sure if Matsu produces things, but surely they can still fish in the shallows... But yes true that, Taiwan is agriculturally self sufficient. We had lots more local and lots less imported FMCG during pandemic, but nothing really changed.
- nix23 5y ago>Taiwan is agriculturally self sufficient. No not really... >In 2020, the food self-sufficiency of Taiwan was 35%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Taiwan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Taiwan
- graderjs 5y agoCunningham's Law - awesome! Thanks for educating me (and everyone else here) :) The reference that's based on is really fascinating too: https://ap.fftc.org.tw/article/2570 https://ap.fftc.org.tw/article/2570 (note the % of wastage chart, ~30% average, unsure how to convert but if we wasted none of that (which may not be achievable even during hypothetical 'blockade', but hey) by how much would self-sufficiency raise is interesting.) BTW, nix23 -- this I consider one of your greatest hits: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24576985 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24576985 LOL!
- nix23 5y agoThank you very much, honored that you like my "hit" but please tell me where the Taiwanese Silicate producers are? But maybe you did not understood the reference... And even when you don't waste anything it's 68% right? That's still not 100%, and without fishing-boats (blockage remember?)...well i leave that to you.
- graderjs 5y agoOh, nix23--you took me wrong, I was actually giving you a compliment!!! Everything I said was with love...I see you took it the other way tho. :)