Well,two of former tributaries of china were starting to be more powerful and get a slice of taiwan,and it will make the sino-japanese war happen much earlier....How does this sound for a scenario. China surrounds itself with the usual ring of tributary states. Trade between these states and china thrives as a Pax Sinica forms around the region. During this time a prosperous Chinese merchant minority emerges in each of the tributary states. Economically their interests are tied to trade with the mother country, and China views it as its right to secure their safety. So when the invariable pogrom is launched against these rich "outsiders" china interveines and puts into place a more friendly government. Hence overtime, the tributary states gradually become defacto colonies.
Yes,but that will cause many singapores to be built,but I think they will get americas as well....Thing is, the bolded parts are all OTL. The Chinese populations of Manilla and Batavia/Jakarta are later examples of overseas Chinese mercantile communities, but there were earlier ones, too. The Chinese government just didn't care enough about the merchants to formally invest much in them.
I honestly can't say what would be needed to change the viewpoint of the government in Beijing/Nanjing/Xi'an/take-your-pick. While, yes, China has a vast coastline, it's generally tended to be a landlubber society, especially what with all the Turkic/Mongolian/barbarian invasions from the west and north.
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