That's right. Everybody loves us, hates us, admires us, despises us, respects us, dis-respects us. That makes everybody a potential rival, and a potential ally.
Better to engage them in commerce, than to use that commerce to initiate a conflict.
All of this with an eye towards national security, of course.
Its a concept thats been in place for years.... like 30 years ala China.
To NOT take China up on some of these issues though is just as bad for our security, economic and otherwise, as it would be as you say to 'start a conflict'.
Its kind of like always saying yes to your kid regardless. Do you say yes to your kid regardless (or would you)? Probably not.
You guys here tend to make everything war or peace. If its peace we have to give China everything they want and enjoy bending over in the process.
Anything else (to some here) is "war".
I am not at all for cutting off engagement with China, nor cutting off trade. I am for hard ass negotiation to get them to change and do it now.
We're talking ultimatums.