3. Joke question: Don't you think that the capital of the country of the "bargaining chip" begins with the letter "M" ?
You seem to be referring to Russia, I know you don't like Russia and consider them a terrorist but if you think that China is taking advantage of Russia's friendship to bargain with the US, it's a bit funny and a bit childish. It is only a matter of time before China takes back Taiwan, it is more than capable of doing so at any time, even if Taiwan receives greater US support.
I don't believe what the US says, I believe they will still support Taiwan as they are doing, what they say in the press is just to appease China, they don't want to increase tensions with China. They are struggling with Ukraine against Russia, and continuing to raise tensions with China will not benefit them. They are still the country with the top military in the world, but at the same time, against two great powers like Russia and China, they will also fail quickly.
Let's start simple - who I don't like. I do not like - liars, thieves, rapists, murderers, terrorists, people who say and declare one thing, but do the exact opposite, I do not like it when the strong demonstrates strength while mocking the weak. It's all gross. It is unlikely that you love everything that I described above. Yes, and that is precisely why Russia is absolutely "not my favorite country" for me at the moment. Precisely because she does everything that is written above. To a normal person, with morality, intelligence, the presence of universal human values, any country that behaves this way will be hated and unacceptable. I hope everything is simple and clear here.
Now back to politics and the topic.
"China will take back Taiwan, it is more than capable of doing" - the soft way - no. The only option left is power. The force option is a blow to the Chinese economy, which is already going through hard times, and I would say the worst. The second problem is, most likely, the destruction of Taiwan's industrial enterprises, which are critically important to China. As you know, China is losing, irreversibly, Western technology and production. And this means China's return to a state close to the 70-80s of the last century, where China is a manufacturer of cheap, simple, low-quality products ... And as practice has shown - the Western assessment of the forces of a particular army - turned out to be, on the example of Russia, a very big mistake . How the whole world saw the so-called "second army of the world", armed with "more than 80% of unparalleled weapons", turned out to be a complete fake. At the same time, it is not clear - this assessment was a real mistake, or intentional, in order to give, in this case, the Kremlin, "to be satisfied with the status itself", but in reality to show itself as a complete failure!?
Likewise with China. Moreover, China has another problem - the population. A population that has already "tasted a taste of normal life." And today's change of the vector from the communist-capitalist to the communist-totalitarian, will give rise to huge tension in society, which will not support the war and the guaranteed degradation of the living standards of this population. Therefore, for China, the path of seizing Taiwan by force is a VERY BAD PATH.
"but at the same time, against two great powers like Russia and China, they will also be quickly defeated" - If Russia and China were allies - one would SUGGEST your statement.
But ... For China, Russia is a "guinea pig" and a raw materials appendage. For Russia, China is "BIG BROTHER".
The 2014 war - I suppose, agreed with Beijing. Target ? Extremely simple - to "feel" the international reaction to the forceful seizure of territories under some pretext. And if until 2022, China was watching and waiting for the RESULT to repeat this with China, and enjoy the helplessness of the West, which until 2022 only voiced "concern". The final "operation" began in 2022 at the end of February. Beijing was waiting for the final confirmation of the total impotence of the West, the EU, the USA, NATO, .... And then something went wrong. And Beijing was and remains very angry with Russia, for the fact that the Kremlin showed bravado, promised to "put the West to its knees with one left." And then UNITED the West! Which showed that in such situations they can answer and very seriously! China is not so afraid of Western military support for Taiwan as it is the imposition of Western sanctions against China. And now China is very close to sanctions ..