China doesn't hate the US. Many young Chinese want to get their education at American institutions and adopt American culture. Many city planners look to the US and hire many advisors and consultants on how infrastructure should be built and their cities laid out. China consistently looks to the US on how to plan their society, shape their economic landscape, their corporate structure, etc.
There is, however, this perception in China that some Americans want to contain her rise. And THAT, is what they hate. And when they see people like Duncan Hunter, Lou Dobbs, etc. speak, how can they perceive it any other way? And hearing guys like them and their supporters speak the way they do, only makes them suspicious of containment. And to be honest, I too believe that is their (Hunter, Dobbs types) goal as well.
China can act as if it just wants to be a global player, but building up it’s military when it has no natural enemies belies the real truth behind the bamboo mask.
I have no doubt that the Chinese people like the U.S. I have no doubt they like many western things. Frankly, I don’t see any animosity per se in U.S. Citizens or even these U.S. Citizens in particular, as it relates to the average Chinese citizen. It’s just that they have seen nations rise and fall like China, and they aren’t being fooled for one moment what China’s ultimate goal is, that being global domination.
Being a global player isn’t contingent on nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, advanced missile destroyers, advanced stealth nuclear submarines or cavitating torpedoes. It’s based on being a good neighbor. China has already evidenced it doesn’t plan on being one. Hell, it can’t even treat it’s own populace reasonably. And if it can’t do that, what does that tell us about it’s plans for others?
Then every once in a while you have a Chinese official pop off and make some stupid comment about global domination or replacing the U.S. as the worlds leading hegemon.
You can focus on guys like Hunter if you like. I would suggest the hegemon issue is of more importance. The U.S. does not capture territory and govern it. China has never learned that model of behavior.