French seizure of the Ryukyuan Islands, Taiwan, and Hainan by 1850's.

I was mulling over how to make France a more powerfull force in Asia during the 19th century, and I came up with the idea of the French taking Hainan, Taiwan, and the Ryukyuan Islands during the 1850's and turning them into profitable colonies and bases from which to draw China, Koream and Japan into their sphere of influance, but I can't think for the life of me what could spark the French to go on a spree of conquests 1850's. What would you all use as a POD?
 
Is there no way that the major European powers could kind of divide up China during the Opium Wars? If enough of them got involved, France could end up with a whole host of new colonies, no?
 
If you want to go a little later, the Sino-French War (in the 1880s) is a good place to start. But I'm not sure of any earlier POD that could accomplish your desired result.
 
Go with a surviving Orleanist France or maybe a lasting Second Republic. IMHO the best POD for France is to remove the conflicts in Italy, maybe the Crimea too, and allow a greater external focus on realistic goals (ie NOT Mexico beyond what the Maritime Powers as a whole wanted)

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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