Sun Tzu quotes which have relevance to everything China does:
“Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate. “
“For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.”
“If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril. “
“It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them instructions and care for them. Thus doubled agents are recruited and used. “
“It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.”
“Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations. “
“Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. “
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
“Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory. Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy.”
“When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.”
Well chosen.
There there’s tons of Chinese pride that also relishes a fight.
Most probably prefer to do it with intellectual skill, most of the time.