The island that got away drives deep passions. Lying tantalizingly close, less than 100 miles from the mainland, this isolated landmass has long been perched within the mainland’s sphere of influence. And yet, it remains separate, a mocking presence over the decades. Governed by a regime anathema to the mainland government, the island is labeled an existential, foreign threat. Seeking control is visceral. The mainland government enforces broad economic sanctions. Its military

China's Claimed Ownership in the South China Sea Taiwan gets most of the attention on our regular news cycles. The Chinese have ratcheted...