China has said it will “never compromise” on the issue of Taiwan, in its first military talks with the US since 2021.
It urged the US to “stop arming Taiwan” and take its concerns “seriously”.
This comes just days ahead of pivotal elections in Taiwan, which could push the island further towards - or away - from Beijing.
China claims Taiwan as part of its own territory, but the island sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland.
Some of the states suceeding might actually be a relatively peaceful way to get beyond the current political divide in the US. Though both of those states (and most of the others) are more purple than red or blue, so it’s complicated and would probably require a mechanism to separate from the separation, kinda like West Virginia breaking away from Virginia when it broke away from the USA. All or nothing referendums probably aren’t a great way to do something like this.