No doubt there are some who will take a report via Reuters that a 'senior' Chinese military officer wants to challenge the U.S. militarily as a bad sign:
The call for China to abandon modesty about its global goals and "sprint to become world number one" comes from a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Senior Colonel, Liu Mingfu, who warns that his nation's ascent will alarm Washington, risking war despite Beijing's hopes for a "peaceful rise."
While this quote and other points may seem ominous, this is far from a clarion call, nor a shift in China's policy. First of all, this is not a new theory, and is best outlined in John Mearsheimer's The Tragedy of Great Power Politics and a position which he has taken several times since. Secondly, this is not a policy paper, but a privately published book which the author admits is his own opinion, and is probably hyperbolized to generate sales. Finally, the author is a senior colonel, which sounds impressive, and is certainly not a junior rank, but is also not in a position of any real power either. In the end, the context does not really inspire awe.
