Nothing lasts forever.
Those who did straight line projections in the 1960’s predicted that Communism would take over the world, in the 1970’s predicted that OPEC would buy up and rule the world, in the 1980’s predicted that Japan would rise preeminent, (US was back in the 1990’s predictions) and in the first decade of this century, that China would overwhelm everyone economically.
China is not only are hitting hard limits to continued growth the way they have been doing it, they have some serious problems that could lead to rapid onset economic crises, rather than just slowing growth. In any event, the next decade is very unlikely to see the same rapid advance as the last.
Never underestimate the ability of a totalitarian regime to survive internal disasters (i.e. the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution), and to simultaneously remain a regional and world threat to peace.
You ain’t dealing with Luxembourg.
The Reds are crazy like a fox, a nuclear, blackmailing fox in the henhouse of the Pacific, and you dont’ see anyone strong enough standing up to them.
Scratch the “Big E” from our fleet. Add two more to the Red Chinese Navy. That is not good.
A professor of mine, an old OSS/CIA hand, once told me that “If Red China wants a 100 nuclear scientists, it will produce/get a 100 nuclearl scientists” no matter what else is going on.
Remember that. It is still operational re their power-projection aims and means.