They lose the war and pull the trigger, and everyone from the janitor on up is prosecuted by the PRC as saboteurs.
They win the war and have blown up the factory? Goodbye #1 export product.
Its only value is as a hindrance to peaceful negotiation. The threat is actually more useful as a “we’ll pull the plug if you abandon your defence commitments” rather than “we’ll pull the plug when attacked”. That bludgeon prevents Western powers from seeking a managed, Hong Kong/Macao sryle reunification strategy.
It’s a no-win for them.
They lose the war and pull the trigger, and everyone from the janitor on up is prosecuted by the PRC as saboteurs.
They win the war and have blown up the factory? Goodbye #1 export product.
Its only value is as a hindrance to peaceful negotiation. The threat is actually more useful as a “we’ll pull the plug if you abandon your defence commitments” rather than “we’ll pull the plug when attacked”. That bludgeon prevents Western powers from seeking a managed, Hong Kong/Macao sryle reunification strategy.