Eyes To The West

For quite some time, at least since 9/11, many Americans have been watching what transpires in the East. The Arabic nations, the Israeli people, the death of leaders and the many who have gone abroad to fight in the war that will never return home.... Americans have been nearly glued to this news since 2001.
Since that time, I have also been telling people to stop keeping one side of your blinders up and in place. You need to also keep your eyes to the West. No one wanted to believe me, and I was scoffed at for making the point that the Chinese government will soon be on a rapid pace forward and the world, especially the United States, needs to pay heed to that increase in Chinese activity and movement. If they did not listen then, they're most likely listening now.
The problems arise when it comes to trade vs. power. The globe already knows that the United States is a super-power nation. No questioning that. However, the United States, thanks in part to former President Nixon, now holds a nice, and quite financially comfortable, trade with China. Wonderful for both nations, especially where monitary gain is concerned. However, there's one little problem with this nice cushy trade embargo. It has a pea in its already fattened mattress. That 'pea' is called Taiwan.
Taiwan, although it has been surviving relatively independently from China, is still one of China's territories. China rules Taiwan, but is quickly losing grasp of it, as Taiwan now has a good foot hold in the ground on which this small nation is settled. Taiwan is not asking too much of China. They've been relatively independent from China for what seems like ages now. They've got a good solid trade going with the United States, and I'm certain with other nations as well. They can obviously hold their own in the financial and corporate world....but what about their military?
Ah, see this is where the little 'pea in the mattress' theory comes into reality. The United States is tied between a rock and a hard place, with a proverbail train running on a head-on collision course with it. The train's name is money, and the rock is China, while the Hard place is Taiwan. See, Taiwan has a defense treaty with the United States. China has a trade treaty/regulation, with the United States. So the question remains...
If China decides to pull the reigns (per se) and 'take back Taiwan completely', where does that leave the United States? The treaty speaks that the United States is to 'dutifully' aide in Taiwan's defense; but are there stipulations to this? Is the US bound to defend Taiwan, against nations such as Cina? Perhaps, but perhaps not. That is for the government on both sides to decide.
If Taiwan breaks free completely from China, does that jeopardize the trade that the United States has with China? Probably not, but it will take alot of getting used to as many of the products sold here on US soil are imported from China. Everything from sneakers to medicine bottles is made in China and/or Taiwan. After all, that is likely one of their primary industries. Trade...and lots of it.
Keep the eyes to the WEST, and the East will take care of itself. Although we cannot take our eyes off of what has begun to show as a drastic and horrific scar on the face of the United States, we can also not turn the blind eye to one that can poke the other, and only good remaining eye, out. China is to be watched closely, but with a friendly hand to offer in aide...as is Taiwan.