Asia | Horns of a dilemma

If China invaded Taiwan, who would enter the war?

Japan and the Philippines would struggle to stay out. But what about the rest?

Taiwan Coast Guard personnel stand guard in front of a vessel on manoeuvres during a joint-forces exercise
Photograph: Getty Images
|Singapore|3 min read

“THE ELEPHANT in the room”, acknowledged Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, speaking to an audience of defence bigwigs at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 30th, “is the day China decides a big [military] operation.” Would France intervene on day one of such a war, he mused? “I would be very cautious today.”

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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Horns of a dilemma”

From the June 14th 2025 edition

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