"I disagree, however, that the Chinese would find a Middle Eastern adventure the stroll through the park you describe. It is easier to sink tankers to disrupt our oil supply than it is to send ground forces rampaging through thousands of miles of hostile desert."
Not a walk in the park no, but limitless supply of ground forces supported by an increasing advanced air-force and I don't see what country could stop them. After all, we are 7,000 from supply routes, vs. 500 or less miles for them. i doubt it is something they consider plausible today but they seem to be advanced long-term thinkers.
Look at a topographical map of Asia. For China to send an army into the Middle East, they would have to cross desert and the Himalayan Mountains. And that's just to make it to the Chinese border. Supporting such an invasion would be a logistical nightmare.
If we went to war with China, it would be interesting if Congress decided to exercise their Constitutional prerogative to "grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal", and commission privateers to go seize Chinese commercial shipping. Maybe we could still keep the Walmart shelves full