WI the Japanese sold Taiwan to France in 1897

[splee]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_under_Japanese_rule#Early_years_.281895-1915.29

"An 1897 session of the Japanese Diet debated whether to sell Taiwan to France." From the Chinese wikipedia, the price they intended was 100 million yens.

So, suppose the Taiwanese revolted more frequently, and the Japanese considers more a drain of its resources rather than a colony which Japan can benefit from. And France accepted, seeing it as a chance to counter Britain's expansion of power in the East. What effect on history this would lead to?

Discuss.

 

[Xenos]

The Japanese carried out most of their jungle warfare research and training on Formosa. If they sold the island in 1897 then they would probably have been far less well prepared for the Indo-China campaign later on.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Considering that the Baltic Fleet when it was sent round the world under Rozhestvensky in 1904-5 had a tendency to put into French bases, then there's a serious likelihood that after leaving Indo-China it would head for Taiwanese harbours

In fact, it might be tempted to do this earlier, and linger longer, panicking the Japanese fleet as the close proximity, at least to Okinawa and the Ryukyu that this would pose

What this means is that the Russian fleet could affect the naval war by not doing anything, once it was close enough to Japan to impose its fear. Of course, Japan is going to be demanding that France kicks them out but it can hardly threaten war with France, and at this late stage in the war is running quickly out of money and credit

Its possible that if Rozhestvensky plays it right, the Japanese will seek terms because, unable to bring the fleet to battle, its seaborne trade is suffering, and its long-term outlook increasingly uncertain

Best Regards
Grey Wolf