ANSCHLUSS: China’s Real Target Is Taiwan.

Beijing’s moves aren’t only about Hong Kong. Its real target is Taiwan, and political legitimacy in mainland China for President Xi Jinping, whose credibility has taken a beating over his handling of the coronavirus crisis. It’s a high-stakes game drawn from the playbook of Xi’s frenemy, President Donald Trump.

Taiwan’s success in handling the pandemic and global concerns over China’s opacity in the early days of the scare have bolstered the international stature of the self-governing region that has otherwise been bleeding diplomatic allies to Beijing’s economic clout in recent years. Earlier this month, the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., Japan, Australia and New Zealand lobbied to try and get Taiwan a seat at the World Health Organization. Beijing — whose “One China” policy means it won’t deal with countries or agencies that diplomatically recognize Taiwan — has expectedly pushed back. But the proposal is still on the table, only postponed for now.

Trump, in an angry letter this month to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, claimed that Taiwan’s heath authorities had warned the UN agency of “human to-human transmission of a new virus” as early as Dec. 31 — though that’s not true. Meanwhile, France has promised to sell Taiwan weapons. And at press briefings, White House officials have been seen wearing masks labeled “Made in Taiwan.”

For all its bluster, China knows it can’t hope to regain Taiwan as a part of the motherland anytime soon. But it also can’t afford to see the self-ruled territory gain greater diplomatic weight. So it’s responding with its own stern messages — both direct and indirect.

I certainly hope that’s all this is.

On the other hand, Xi seems to be acting more and more like a man who sees a window of opportunity that won’t stay open long.