Posturing.

You need only ask one question: how does mainland China get its troops across the straights?

There's only one country in the world with the shipping to land even a small invasion force into a resisting country. And that ain't China.

An economic war wouldn't be much better. Yes, it would hurt for a while, but Walmart would eventually be able to buy it's cheap... er... "fine goods" from other south-asian countries.

[Edit to add a paragraph]

__________________
And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling [faces] lyin' to ye' everywhere ye' go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.