COMMENT ONE:
I am an American who has lived in China for three years. (And very much like living here.) My opinion is not as factual, and surely not as broadly informed, as many of the others so well-expressed here. But something I notice, from the inside, is that China usually plays “the long game.” They are bellicose when they see it serving their immediate interests. But they see little advantage in American- or Russian-style braggadocio. They are more likely to exert their influence quietly and economically.
As one example, China has invested heavily in the economy of Africa. All of the major universities I have visited in China have a noticeable and growing number of African students. Many of them are here to study Chinese. To advance their economic opportunities – back in Africa, where so much of the investment comes from China. (And they’re incredibly excited by this.)
China has made quiet, welcome inroads there, a part of the world that has largely been ignored by Western countries. They are happy without international acknowledgment, much of the time. They have a plan, they have a policy, and the money to invest in them.
I do not pretend to know what the long-term plan is. But I don’t think it involves showing off to other countries. (Beyond what is necessary to be taken seriously at a high level internationally.)
An amusing final note: If Chinese pop culture was embraced by American youth the way American pop culture is embraced by Chinese youth? You would be seeing Chinese characters on >50% of the clothing young people wear.
(My apologies for the extent to which my response overlaps with others. But I hoped that a personal perspective might useful.)
Pingback: Understanding China: Listen…. Read | Thuppahi's Blog