The PRC (People’s Republic of China) will do anything to make Taiwan a pariah nation and eventually obliterate it, or subsume it. Taiwan is dangerous to the PRC: because it sets an example of Chinese democracy. It proves that democracy is indeed compatible with Chinese culture. And if people on the mainland see that — they might get wild ideas . . .

From Jay Nordlinger, NRO, 2017:

In 2017, there were 24 countries willing to recognize Taiwan. Now there are 12.

From the New York Times:

“In Blow to Taiwan, Honduras Switches Relations to China.”

China has persuaded Honduras to abandon formal ties with Taiwan and establish them with Beijing, a blow to Taipei’s international standing days before the Taiwanese president embarks on a Central American tour . . .

China’s leaders are trying to isolate Taiwan as they demand that it accept unification, while the United States has been trying to shore up the island’s security and standing.

The Honduran government, remarks Mr. Nordlinger, is “singing exactly the song that the regime in Beijing wants it to sing.”

When you pay the piper, you call the tune. China has paid Honduras — Beijing has greater financial leverage than Taipei — and the Honduran foreign ministry has issued a statement:

Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and, as of today, the government of Honduras has communicated to Taiwan the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any further official relations or contact with Taiwan.

Ukraine, continues Mr. Norldinger, is ”dangerous to the Kremlin in much the same way.”

A free and democratic country on the border with Russia? A Slavic country at that, with many Russian speakers? A former “republic” of the USSR? What if Russians in general get the wild idea that they, too, can live freely and democratically?