Federally protected lands are on the West Coast, a good chunk of all of those states is just either national Parks, national wilderness areas, or BLM lands.
It's price only fluxuates based on availability, and we're on a finite planet. The real problem would be environmental regulations regarding gold recycling at that point.
Well they haven't spoken up. Every UN member nation, including the US, recognizes the One China policy. It is the official stance of every member nation.
No, just the south China sea where that first incident took place.