
Originally Posted by
Ken Fabos
It must seem to Chinese people like a case of do what the US says, not what the US does. They must see the US as a nation that has consistently treated China as an enemy on ideological grounds and has sought to constrain it's defense capabilities.
All theater military domination must sound good to Americans - more powerful than anyone else - and using military force to advance US goals and advantage anywhere in the world is a US right, but requires them to deny that "right" to others. The rest of the world - unsurprisingly - doesn't see it the same way.
Given the instability and extremes of internal US politics, the propensity to seek external scapegoats for domestic political purposes and it's history of failed military ventures - it ought not be a surprise nations like China view the US as a threat. One they need to build up their military capabilities to defend against.
Exceptionalism is not a good model to emulate - by it's nature it denies the right of others to emulate it - and ramping up anti-China sentiment is only going to strengthen Chinese resolve.