Taking China as threat and adversary will be historic and strategic mistake: Chinese Defence Minister

Despite Mr. Fengh's bluster, it is hard to take Chinese pronouncements seriously. Since WWII, no country except China has acted to encroach on other people's property (Tibet, Ladakh, Arunachal). China has no real enemies; no one is interested in Chinese territory, nor in controlling China. What China finds galling is that the world does not take them seriously enough, or better yet, supplicate to them. They are chagrined that the world does not respond to them in ways they would like; it has led them to engage furiously in military buildup. Yet they scare no one. This must be galling. They can draw some inspiration from others. Britain produced armies of Brown Sahibs in India, ready to kick their neighbors and kin to lick British boots; so eager were they to be accepted in the all things English. Indian school kids read Kipling (a white supremacist), and thought of Churchill as the hero (despite directly killing 16 million Indians); and send their children to die for the British crown. Now, like it or not, that is soft power. Saudis - by spending serious coin - had Malaysians and Indonesians declared themselves Saudis (a person with the last name Sayyed, changed to Al Sayyed - so that he is regarded as a Saudi). Now who in the world is trying to be Chinese? Or affecting Chinese ways of life, showing eagerness to become Chinese? Who is humming Chinese pop tunes (the whole world rocked to American music). Who is watching Chinese movies and hanging pictures of their stars in their bedrooms? No one. China has spent billions in Pakistan, Africa, Sri Lanka. Sure. Are they learning Chinese and becoming Chinese? Doesn't look like it. They've taken the money, and then told China to take a hike. I.e., the effect of economic power amounts to zero without soft power. This should concern China. Military power? Never have they prosecuted a serious war. Now they want to scare US (and its allies)? This is a joke. They are not paying attention to the overwhelming evidence that the US will not be pushed around, and responds decisively when pushed too far. This general is better advised to focus on soft power. When people across the world clamor to live in China, are willing to enroll in their army, and watch their movies and sing their pop tunes - they may have some claim to power.