system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why does China care so much about Taiwan? Aren't there more productive uses of national power and influence?

Taiwan is a tiny island that is over half a century separated from the mainland. Reunification will not grant the government any significant degree of military or economic power, and the Taiwanese government no longer claims to be the legitimate successor to the ROC or to have any ambitions of ruling the mainland.

Why does the PRC still care? Or at least, why so much?
gpt
> Reunification will not grant the government any significant degree of military or **economic power**

Taiwan is a fairly significant economic force. Their up there with Korea when it comes to the manufacturing of highly advanced electronics (think CPU's). That reason alone is enough for China to be interested in Taiwan.