Hi Tessa. You'd get no email in China asking for input. There is no accountability for government in China, except to the top CCP committees which govern in secrecy. You wouldn't be able to write on Medium in China. Sure, in Hong Kong, but they're getting close to putting that behind the firewall too. The number of empty apartments in China is estimated above 100 million (they have a huge real estate problem). Most of the rivers are polluted. Unless you bribe doctors medical care is near useless. Only the wealthy are happy in China, just like everywhere else.

As for the military. There's no way for me to say this gently. You haven't done a speck of homework. The recent hypersonic missile story is just that, a nice story. Strategically, ballistic missiles can do what they do and better; tactically, they aren't precise enough. Lastly, the U.S. has been experimenting with them for decades--their capabilities are mostly kept secret.

Although the U.S. has a completely dysfunctional and wasteful military--fat, lazy and stupid--it would eventually prevail over any authoritarian country. It is run under a democratic government. It is open to criticism. Once the fighting starts the smart will rise to the top. It's not that the Chinese aren't capable of building great weapons, it's just that they do it HERE as citizens of America ;) All I can say is read some history. The actual weapons are the least of it. But again, there is no criticism in China so do you really believe there stuff will work when tested? Do you really believe their smart military leaders will be able to countermand CCP orders?

All that said, you're right in the general sense that China is no longer a pushover. The U.S. cannot have its way with her. It doesn't matter if the U.S. prevailed in the end. The victory would be hollow. I wish there was more dialogue between both nations.

As for the E.U. they're just as stupid as America. Almost all the same problems. I say that in a good way.