[Mr. Mulliner]

It's not just about economics. When the four tigers ascended economically, there was no accompanying political or military threat. China is ascending economically while simultaneously building its army into superpower status. Many people have chosen to take an optimistic view of China's political will because they have been making all the right moves with their economy and done some things that have, in fact, increased personal freedom in China. But the truth is, China's an emerging economic superpower with a military to go along with it, but a very poor track record in the international political arena and some very real threats to the region.

[AIG]

Every great economic power in history has also had a big military, merely to protect its farflung economic interests.