My acupuncturist is a bit of a contrarian. When I complain of a stiff neck or lower back pain, she smiles and reaches for my left hand. Needles are placed in my fingers, wrist, and elbow. Forty minutes later, the pain is mostly gone despite her never once touching my neck or back.

Geopolitics works in similar ways. Deterring China from invading Taiwan is not only about amassing weapons in the Taiwan Strait but can be done through identifying the pressure points that connect to Beijing’s nervous system.