The United States has always run the world stage. From the end of the American Revolution to today, the influence and power of America, whether good or bad, has spread throughout all corners of the world. 

But there seems to be a new kid on the block trying to get their own hand in—China.

China has always been a major power in the East, but due to economic and military advances, they are now a formidable global power. 

But China is trying to use this power and influence to gain Taiwan’s land and people. 

China needs to learn from the United States’s mistakes with their unsuccessful attempts at imperialism and work with what they have. 

There is a policy that the Chinese government likes to use a lot called the “One-China” policy. 

According to BBC News, the One-China policy “is the diplomatic acknowledgement of China’s position that there is only one Chinese government.” 

Even though countries like Taiwan and Hong Kong have declared independence from mainland China, the Chinese government refuses to accept this. 

Taiwan operates as a fully independent country. China has no influence in their government and they hold democratic elections in contrast to China’s Communist Party. 

Until recently, Hong Kong operated as an independent government with little influence from mainland China. But now China has taken full control over the country. 

There were protests in Hong Kong to try to stop this, but without a way to defend themselves, these protests were quickly stopped. 

China was going to get control over Hong Kong regardless of what they did. According to History television network, Hong Kong was to operate as an independent country until 2047. 

But China decided to speed this process up in a way that took away the rights and civil liberties of Hong Kongers.

This was wrong and inhumane. China is now trying to do the same thing with Taiwan and the U.S. should intervene. 

Taiwan is one of the only democratic countries in the East, and for them to be taken over by China would not only be a loss for the Taiwanese people but for freedom in the region. 

Taiwan has the highest Freedom House ranking on the Asian continent at 80, compared to China’s 10. Freedom House ranks the overall freedom and liberties that a country possesses. 

In the past few weeks, China has made military moves to show that they are considering taking Taiwan by force. 

According to AP News, China has flown over 100 military planes into airspace near Taiwan in the past week. These moves are a reckless and irresponsible show of force. 

They also come in the wake of the United Nations secretary general, Antonio Guterres, warning of a possible “new Cold War” between the U.S. and China. 

The two countries have an abysmal relationship at best and China is not helping matters with these military exercises. 

If these displays of power continue, Taiwan, backed by the U.S., will be eager to show the force that they possess which could lead to a very dangerous situation in the South China Sea. 

China is a world power without Taiwan. The Chinese government needs to focus on the problems they have on the mainland after capturing Hong Kong and leave Taiwan alone.