If imperialism is so dreadful, the Communist Chinese should stop using it for their own ends.

In an imperial history of perhaps 2000 years, mainland Chinese control of Taiwan can be considered to be about 200 years at best. Publicly, the Communist Party uses this relatively brief period to justify its claim to the island. The Chinese communists have historically condemned imperialism, but they are willing to not just accept it in this case, but defend it as proof that whomsoever controls Beijing has the right to impose itself on Taiwan. It was the legacy of the Chinese empires that the CCs wished to overthrow.

It is time for democracies to do away with any recognition of the so-called One China policy, which was adopted in the hope the communists would liberalise. They have not.

There are the obvious strategic and technological concerns, which are actually more important to Beijing. Like Russia's paranoia, they see this through the lens of their own expansionist intentions. Totalitarians are always scared they will be toppled, therefore they rule by decree. Democracies, on the other hand, have constitutional checks and balances which while far from perfect, are infinitely superior for societies.

Totalitarian regimes cannot understand or trust the democratic world's interest in prosperity and peace, because these things are not as important to them. The Party has its own prosperity through control. And as we have seen throughout history, totalitarians are quite prepared to use the lives of their people to stay in power, viz Russia in Ukraine.

There is no threat of the US trying to seize control of mainland China. The notion is ludicrous. Likewise, there is no intention for NATO to invade Russia, but these are the self-justifying delusions of their totalitarian governments.

The invasion of Ukraine has been a huge wake-up call for democracies, as should be the coming Communist naval base in the Solomon Islands. We do business with totalitarian regimes at our peril.