>>64214791
Okay I'll give you an example. It's the 19th century. A colonial power is in Africa. There is a nation next to them which is an African nation where their soldiers are equipped with spears and arrows.
In your suggestion, it is better for a colonial power, that has rifles and cannons, to just wait and 'get stronger'... Meanwhile the African nation has met another colonial power and is now trading for guns and cannons. So the first colonial power is now going to have to attack a nation that has guns and cannons, not spears and arrows.
Why would they wait? Why wouldn't they attack the nation while they have spears and arrows? Why would they risk them getting stronger too? Okay you might get breech loading rifles and rockets, but you're still worse off. In this case, Taiwan is just developing more systems, buying more systems and preparing longer.... On top of the USA having time to do all these things to.
If you're superior to both Taiwan and USA, why the fuck would you wait and risk them getting stronger?