Under this reasoning, China has had limited imperial ambitions in the past only because it e.g. lacked naval superiority.
China destroyed its navy in the Ming period and eschewed colonial expansion because they thought the rest of the world was low in quality, compared to China, and therefore not worth colonizing. By all accounts, they still think that.
I would suggest considering both their naval build up and their position on the South China sea and its historical use of trade/economic and political pressure to advance it’s influence and boarders, with military might as a backup for and enforcement mechanism “By all accounts” is a bit far.
As someone who has both had a professional career in and out of China, I am utterly confused by the statement that the China today thinks ”rest of the world [is] low in quality”.
China destroyed its navy in the Ming period and eschewed colonial expansion because they thought the rest of the world was low in quality, compared to China, and therefore not worth colonizing. By all accounts, they still think that.
I would suggest considering both their naval build up and their position on the South China sea and its historical use of trade/economic and political pressure to advance it’s influence and boarders, with military might as a backup for and enforcement mechanism “By all accounts” is a bit far.
What’s an example of one account by which China currently thinks the rest of the world is low in quality?
As someone who has both had a professional career in and out of China, I am utterly confused by the statement that the China today thinks ”rest of the world [is] low in quality”.
Care to share why you think that is the case?