Addendum, Medieval England-like Nation East Of China

[Janus]

It's the Three Kingdoms Period of China. To the East, replacing the island of Taiwan is an identically shaped country, only with the fauna and flora of England in the Middle Ages. The culture is also reminiscent of England during the Medieval Time Period. This island will have a population of 750,000, and have the technology of Victorian Era steam punk. Naturally, this steam punk will be superior to the technology available in Victorian England at the time, even though the weapons will be near identical or identical. This "England" has a mission to assume a position of great power and influence over the main land. Does "England" possess enough man power, because of it's Steam Punk enforced military, to defeat the main powers of China at this period in time, or at least, to maintain it's power base and be a real pain in the neck?

 

[DanBaque]

Steam ships are definitely enough to defend the island from any Chinese fleet, however, as the Middle Ages are a long time, if their culture is before Henry VIII, they will have little seafaring experience, and may lose to overwhelming numbers. If the Chinese managed to land, they would be undoubtedly defeated, as any army of that period would find it impossible to cope with artillery, and given the difficulties in logistics, they would be unable to land enough troops to have enough of a numerical advantage against the "English".

As to the English invading, if they did so peacemeal, allying with different polities and vassals against others, as they did in India, they could well exert control over at least the coast, without even talking about the soft economic power an industrial country has over a feudal agrarian one.