A lack of Taiwan dependency may well avoid a world war.

I'd rather have another world war than for China to slowly but "peacefully" conquer the world.

That's how I know you imagine yourself to be on the winning side of this world war. Good luck with that. Not really, though

I do think we would win in the end, but even if we didn't, I'd rather go down fighting than graciously accept our new CCP overlords.

I might have thought so some years ago.

In an era when 1/2 of the Western world hates Western civilization, I'm not sure that it matters anymore.

Of course, in the long run, it's all just fodder for a history book. The further out you go, the less the details matter.

The US is looking more and more like ancient Rome. In 10-15 years it likely neither can win a war against China but it will also likely not have many allies on its side if it tries.

China doesn’t have many allies either. They have managed to piss of just about everyone. There are few countries in Asia that wouldn’t be happy to see China taken down a peg or a dozen - and probably wouldn’t mind discreetly giving the US a hand.

And then when (if*) we become independent, and China finally gets the balls to scoop up Taiwan, our administration will be nowhere to be found.

As romantic as the US gallantly defending Taiwan from the Chinese invaders sounds, let's be honest. The US could do little more than buy the Taiwanese some time to escape.

If the CCP ever decides it's time to take control of Taiwan by force, they could. It's the economic backlash from the rest of the world they are currently worried about, not military resistance. Although I'm not sure just how much they even have to be worried about economically considering how the world has handled recent CCP atrocities.

Crossing a wide span of water (wider than the English Channel) against a determined defender is really hard. Taiwan is bristling with anti ship missiles and are very much against being taken over by the PRC.

That doesn't change that fact that Taiwan doesn't stand a snowballs chance in hell. At most it adds a few days from start to end. It is extremely unrealistic to have Taiwan not become part of PRC if war breaks out. The US only have one way to win and that's all-out invasion after nuking mainland China - but then no-one wins.

In the worst case I can see a Taiwan getting nukes. Nukes are pretty old tech, if North Korea can get them I’m sure Taiwan who is vastly more wealthy can too.