My geopolitical guys have always said that China doesn’t bluff.
RE: China doesn’t bluff....
They are unashamedly imperialistic (and use that term to insult others) and thoroughly racist (only their race counts and others should be enslaved or annihilated) plus stubborn and uncompromising.
When I make these claims they are backed up by the really low level of diversity in China, unlike the US and the West.