Once again, history will go unheaded as the new Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is created.
And how long do yo think it will be before the Chinese navy does become a force to recon with 10, 15, 20 years?
It will be a reality at some point unless democracy takes hold in China.
And remember ... every dime or quarter you spend in Walmart or where ever on a Chinese product will be a bullet coming back in your son's or grandson's belly, unless we use our economic power to turn China towards freedom.
China's still got a long way to go, and it has to balance economic growth with control of its people.
As such, China is going to be privately financing and offering security to tyrants and brutal dictators in Africa and South America so as to tie up our attention outside of Asia while China manages its internal affairs. Iraq was a big loss for China because it means China won't have an ally in Saddam to stir up trouble at a strategic time when China is ready to make its move on Taiwan.