Numerous polls of the Taiwanese show that they would want to join the US if given the choice between independent statehood, joining the mainland, and joining the US.
Plus, the US gets a nice permanent military base and gets to monitor all future Chinese submarine activity.
If China attacks a US state, it would be like Yamamoto's "sleeping giant" moment. The US is trying to force China's hand while there is power asymmetry, and I can't think of a better checkmate move.
>the US gets
C'mon, this is not how geopolitics works. China could easily defend this land from US incursion and they aren't even letting Taiwan be independent let alone let US take it for themselves.
Well if the Yanks are smart, the second it becomes a US state you strongly encourage two way migration so there are a bunch of square-jawed, grass-fed, All American kids living there that the US press can get exited about. Jack, Diane, and Tyrone getting shot at by the PLA is going to be a Big Fucking Deal.
Heck, if I was Taiwan I’d stop spending money on defence and just start spending money giving free university tuition to Americans.
Putting the cart before the horse, that US could occupy this land before China defends it. Also, this is such a nerd bro theory, as if only you are clever enough to see the game being played...the US government could somehow completely fool their citizens into being bait for a war, moving to a disputed territory that inevitably will be a battleground, or again that anyone on the mainland will suddenly want to die for newly settled territory, conned into war so to speak. These square-jawed, grass-fed people are just very stupid, is your claim?