Who knows where China is at? They’ve no combat experience. Their entire military is green, from every single line soldier through their entire command structure. I would anticipate that their military has at the edges very capable equipment and technologies, but at its core is logistically incapable and unable to fight any meaningful combat when things get real. Their entire readiness is based on training exercises, which are neither real, nor do they exercise the entire military machine in a transparent way. It’s likely the Chinese military doesn’t know it’s own capability as fraud and telling leaders what they want to hear is almost certainly rampant.
Chinese people also haven’t been exposed to thousands upon thousands of young men sent home in body bags since 1953, there aren’t many Chinese alive who have felt wars effects, which is a blessing for their people. Once the horrors touched every family in China, would they be quite as eager?
But I would wager a battle hardened military composed of veterans like the US and allies who have been engaged in global conflicts continuously since 1953 would soundly defeat China in any conventional war, but with horrendous prices on both sides. (N.b., I’m not saying this is a “good thing,” it’s not - but it is true, and it is what wins wars). To wit, their global logistics are functional and proven, their troops hardened and disciplined in combat, their leaders experienced and capable, their equipment understood and tested in earnest, and their populace inured to the tragedy.
Chinese people also haven’t been exposed to thousands upon thousands of young men sent home in body bags since 1953, there aren’t many Chinese alive who have felt wars effects, which is a blessing for their people. Once the horrors touched every family in China, would they be quite as eager?
But I would wager a battle hardened military composed of veterans like the US and allies who have been engaged in global conflicts continuously since 1953 would soundly defeat China in any conventional war, but with horrendous prices on both sides. (N.b., I’m not saying this is a “good thing,” it’s not - but it is true, and it is what wins wars). To wit, their global logistics are functional and proven, their troops hardened and disciplined in combat, their leaders experienced and capable, their equipment understood and tested in earnest, and their populace inured to the tragedy.