Looking on the Bright Side 

• The US significantly improved the bonds among its allies in the Indo-Pacific region that may win. Further, allies underwent defense policy, allowed the US to expand its military projection, and engaged in closer mutual defense cooperation. 
• Although the coalition is intimidating to China, there are uncertainties if a conflict arises. For instance, the US is unsure which base it can use during combat, and some allies have not publicly committed to Taiwan's defense. Historically, a loose coalition or late commitment to an alliance may fail to prevent a war. 
• The US's global sanctions campaign has a similar trajectory. Many US allies share a similar interest in preventing a Taiwan Strait conflict, but some are reluctant to join the US's preventive deterrence measures against China.  
• In the meantime, China observed the limited impact of the US's global sanction campaign that endangered Russia's economy but did not decimate it. Therefore, China is racing to reduce its economic vulnerabilities to mitigate the potential effects of US sanctions. 

Lack of Nuclear Brinkmanship 

• Although the US has larger and better nuclear capabilities, it would unlikely use them in the Taiwan conflict, especially when China could retaliate with its atomic arsenals. Yet, the US must dissuade China from using nuclear escalation as a threat. 
• Despite the US declaring it would not fight a conventional war against nuclear power, China may still use nuclear weapons for coercive leverage. Xi would prefer to prevent miscalculation and avoid the blowout of a nuclear war.