China Debates Post-Invasion Governance of Taiwan (warontherocks.com)

• Xiamen think tank paper in August 2024 urged shadow government for Taiwan.
• China increasingly acknowledges difficulty of governing Taiwan's liberal democracy.
• Western support should include both military and democratic strengthening of Taiwan.

"An August 2024 paper by Xiamen-based scholars urged Beijing to immediately establish a shadow government for Taiwan on the mainland. The paper candidly acknowledged that resistance to unification in Taiwan has deepened, the Hong Kong model is unsuitable, and many Chinese officials lack basic understanding of Taiwanese society. The article analyzes the immense challenge of governing Taiwan's liberal democracy after invasion, arguing that Western support should also strengthen Taiwan's democratic institutions."