Defending Taiwan and the credibility of American alliances

Would it be wise for the United States to fight China in defence of Taiwan?

War would be bad for both sides, but refusing to defend Taiwan could also weaken the alliances built on American security promises.

A war between the United States and China over Taiwan would be damaging to both sides, with no good military outcome assumed in the exchange. Refusing to act would carry a different cost by weakening confidence in American security promises. Allies who depend on those commitments could conclude that the United States would also abandon them under pressure. The question therefore links Taiwan's defence to the wider credibility of the alliance system rather than treating it as a bilateral contest alone.