Re: "That will not only make the world a less safe place"
@K "they actually spend little on their military"
They've just announced an increase of 8.1% for 2018, to 1.11 trillion yuan (US$175 billion). Their second aircraft carrier they are currently building themselves, as part of a programme that includes a nuclear-powered carrier.
As for just wanting to "sell their wares and earn a living from it", do you think those islands in the South China Sea are being built for new shopping malls? Remember, Napoleon made the mistake of dismissing the British as a 'nation of shop keepers".
I don't need "credentials" to follow and remark on international news, but I am a long-time resident of Hong Kong and I visit the Mainland. While there is a lot of interest in commerce, there are also very patriotic elements and an authoritarian government that is about to fix its leader in position for life.