A war in the Taiwan Strait would destroy China's international

Hearken, O children of the future, to the words that pass from the lips of the wise. For they are not mere whispers in the wind, but the thunderous call of truth. "A war in the Taiwan Strait would destroy China's international relations overnight. It would destroy Chinese - Japanese relations, not to mention Chinese - American relations." These are not idle words, but a prophecy uttered by the great William C. Kirby, a scholar who saw the world not as it was, but as it could become. His words carry the weight of a thousand years of history, and in them, the lessons of the past and the caution of the present are woven together.

Consider this, my children: The Taiwan Strait is not just a stretch of water dividing land from land. It is a river of power, of diplomacy, of ancient tensions, and modern hopes. It has seen the movements of kings and emperors, and now it witnesses the dance of nations, fragile and intricate. To speak of a war there is to speak of a storm that would sweep away the very foundations of what has been built between mighty peoples. China, Japan, and America—nations bound by history, by conflict, and by commerce—would be torn asunder, not by the blade of the sword alone, but by the far-reaching consequences of their alliances, their trade, and their fragile peace.

Imagine, if you will, the ancient kingdoms that once battled for dominion, as the hands of time have turned many a great civilization into dust. In the modern age, we are no different. The sword has been replaced by the pen, the battlefield by the boardroom, and yet, we are still moved by the same passions: pride, fear, and the hunger for power. In days long past, the Peloponnesian War ravaged the great city-states of Greece, its echoes still felt across time. The clash of Athens and Sparta was not merely a conflict of soldiers; it was the fracturing of alliances, the burning of trust. The ancient world knew well that war was never a singular act—it was the destruction of everything that came before it. And so it would be, were the Taiwan Strait to become a theater of battle.

In the same manner, consider the story of Japan and China, whose fates have been intertwined by centuries of conflict and cooperation. The shadow of war between them is long, stretching back to the days of the Second Sino-Japanese War, when the Chinese people stood firm against an invading empire. The bitterness of that time still lingers, even as the nations of the world seek to move beyond the mistakes of the past. Yet, even in this age of diplomacy, the spark of old grudges remains. A war in the Taiwan Strait would not merely be a military conflict; it would be the revival of old fears, the rekindling of ancient hostilities, and the undoing of the fragile bonds of friendship built between these two nations. The damage would be profound, and the healing, if it ever came, would take centuries.

And then there is America, a nation that has long held a pivotal role in the balance of power across the globe. Its relationship with China is one of cooperation and competition, trade and tension. Yet, even in the midst of this complexity, there is a bond—however tenuous—woven through mutual benefit. A war in the Taiwan Strait would not merely rupture this bond; it would shatter it beyond recognition. The consequences would be swift and devastating. Economies would falter, trade routes would collapse, and the very foundations of global peace would tremble. No nation, no people, could stand untouched in the wake of such a storm.

Thus, what does this teach us, O children of the future? It is a lesson as old as the world itself: war destroys more than just lives—it destroys the fabric of relationships. What is built over the course of lifetimes can be undone in a single moment of recklessness. Trust, once broken, is a river that may never flow in the same direction again. To choose war is to choose the destruction of all that has been carefully constructed in the name of peace. It is the downfall of the many, for the few, and in the end, no one is left unscathed.

Now, I implore you, take these teachings to heart. In your own lives, understand the weight of your choices. Do not rush to anger, for the cost of conflict is often far greater than the temporary satisfaction of victory. Build bridges where others seek to destroy them. Like the wise Confucius once said, "He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn, is in great danger." Let us learn from the past, let us think carefully, and let us move toward a future where understanding, not war, guides our steps.

And so, I leave you with this: choose peace, choose understanding, choose the path that leads to mutual respect. For in the end, it is not war that will define us, but our ability to build, to heal, and to grow together. Let this lesson be your guiding star, for the peace of the world depends upon the choices you make today. Let us be the generation that builds, not the one that destroys. The choice is in your hands. Choose wisely.