Here's what I don't get about China and Taiwan right now- from what I read, what China thinks they want are the chip making technology. But I really don't see China forcibly taking Taiwan getting that. The chip makers are working hard to diversify and get the some of the tech off the island, which means that IF there is any force, it would be largely trivial to completely destroy all of the chip making tools that China wants.
As for the smart people, I can't see that it would be that hard to evacuate them, immediately. And if that fails, they would be dead, anyway.
So other than taking land that they think has been theirs for the entire time of the communists, what do they get out of doing it?
Seeing the world attitude against the Soviets, it should be clear that everyone can make the break economically. It will be harder to do that with China, but thanks to The China Flu, those steps are starting. And in the end, China will be just as isolated as they were in the 80s. Just like the USSR.
China's power is in trade, not force. And they are far better off, economically, letting the US waste money on unused arms.