Even the US care about its image, especially now that the US is battling China for world influence. Don't you see the US is trying to isolate China these days? Blaming China on covid, debt trap and now attacking China for cutting off the climate talk. Wolf warrior diplomacy born out of counter attacking this US narrative.

Hard power is important, it is the foundation, but you can't ignore soft power too. When your opponent also has strong hardpower, the battle will be in soft power arena. In the past, the US didn't care much about image as much as today. But because the US is facing China today, the US begin to pay attention to its own image while attacking China's image. That is the reason why the US is suddenly back in small pacific countries recently. The game is always carrot and stick.

Climate change is important issue for many countries, especially countries with coastal cities, including China. While I, myself, not sure if talking with the US on this issue, will help climate, but not talking with the US will only give the US the ammo to attack China in global stage.

As for taking penghu island, I have to say that I agree with Canis. It is useless, and too provocative, and will put China on the same path as Russia today, it will rally Asia into the US camp, even the neutral ones.

Even if China have to invade, only the main island of Taiwan matter. That is where the political power rest. You take the main island, and the rest will fall, and other Asian countries won't cry or scream over spilled milk.

The funny thing is that the west actually expecting China to do that, to take Taiwan peripheral islands first if the invasion begin.