Today, Beijing can reduce the chances for a crisis that could destabilize the regime’s dream of continued economic growth and peace on its borders. Moreover, China can improve the prospects for long-term stability by rewarding the Taiwan people with some accommodation of their goals.

For example, China can move preemptively and largely symbolically to grant Taiwan international space by allowing its representative to observe the World Health Assembly in May. Beijing can implement a ceasefire in their contest for the allegiance of small states in the Pacific, Africa and Latin America. The Chinese army can halt new deployments opposite Taiwan and reduce the scale and tempo of military exercises. The list of options runs long.