[latch]

> less of a threat to its neighbors

Doesn't China have a exceedingly good record here? Quick googling suggest it has had no major (and certainly no unilateral) military conflicts in the last 30 years. Military build up seems reasonable given the situation in Korea, Pakistan and India, the growing isolation of Russia, and America's continued military "adventures." It's claims in the south china sea do seem out of character, but we live in a world where might is right.

[arvinjoar]

You can't look only at track record. Afaik they have an unreasonable amount of infantry for purely defensive purposes. They're #3 globally in terms of firepower, of course they won't create trouble until they're reasonably sure they'll come out ahead. Once they're more powerful economically and militarily you'll have a an unscrupulous nation, with a dictator for life, capable of very long-term planning, leading a pretty explicitly racist people in need of massive amounts of natural resources.

So yeah, even though they're not currently adventurous militarily, I wouldn't count on that being the case forever.