Despite its military buildup, China's primary strategy for Taiwan is not a direct invasion, which remains highly difficult. Instead, President Xi Jinping favors a coerced diplomacy, aiming to squeeze Taiwan on all sides until it feels it has no choice but to accept a 'one country, two systems' model.

Instead of a risky invasion, Xi Jinping's preference is to slowly suffocate Taiwan's will to resist. This strategy involves chipping away at U.S. commitments and eroding the conviction of regional allies, buying time while avoiding a costly direct conflict.

China's showcase of advanced military hardware, like its new aircraft carrier, is primarily a psychological tool. The strategy is to build a military so 'forbiddingly huge' that the US would hesitate to engage, allowing China to achieve goals like reabsorbing Taiwan without fighting. This suggests their focus is on perceived power to deter intervention.

In response to losing control of Panama Canal ports, China is using "informal directives" to detain Panamanian-flagged ships. This elegant form of economic warfare creates costly delays in global trade, demonstrating leverage without overt military action.

Beijing is undermining Taiwanese sovereignty without firing a shot. It employs economic pressure, diplomatic isolation, cyber attacks, and disinformation to achieve its goals, making a traditional military assault unnecessary. This multi-pronged strategy has already made significant inroads, aiming for capitulation over conflict.

China's strategy for Taiwan likely mirrors its 2019 Hong Kong takeover. Instead of a direct military assault, Beijing will use political influence, espionage, and legislative changes to create administrative bridges, making any physical resistance illegal before troops ever move in.

Instead of a full-scale invasion, China is employing an "anaconda strategy" of constant, low-level pressure. Tactics like cutting undersea cables and sending drones are designed to exhaust and demoralize Taiwan, making a military response from the US difficult to justify.

While the U.S. is preoccupied with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, China has significantly increased its military presence around Taiwan. This may not be just a show of force, but a strategic dress rehearsal for an invasion, testing capabilities while global attention is focused elsewhere.

The most significant point of friction for ordinary Chinese citizens is the constant U.S. military presence near its borders, such as naval patrols in the Taiwan Strait and bases in South Korea and Japan. This sense of being militarily encircled is a more potent source of public frustration than economic disputes.