China looms large over the emerging strategic landscape of global politics. The rise of China as an emerging great power and as the most likely challenger to the global preponderance of the US is already having a significant impact across the globe. The rapidity of China's rising profile has surprised many though it should have been obvious to those following China's economic trajectory. As China became economically powerful, it was bound to become ambitious and assert its profile across the globe. This is a trend that all great powers have followed throughout history. China has thrived because it devotes itself to economic development while letting the US police the region and the world. Even as it decries American hegemony, its leaders envision Pax Americana extending well into the middle of the present century, at least until China becomes a middle-class society and, if present trends continue, the world's largest economy. However, while declaring that it will be focusing on internal socio-economic development for the next decade or so, China has actively pursued policies of preventing the rise of other regional powers such as Japan and India in order to attain primacy in the region.

While realising well that it would take China decades to seriously compete with the US for global hegemony, China has focused its strategic energies on Asia. Its foreign policy is aimed at enhancing its economic and military prowess to achieve regional hegemony in Asia.