The advance of China onto the world stage has been a step-by-step process: not one of invasion or colonization but instead of winning influence through trade. Its ambition is riddled with contradictions. China has become rich beyond its dreams precisely because of US predominance in Asia and the American military security umbrella, which has mostly kept the peace since 1975. The US-led system of international law has also given China the freedom to sell to American and European markets. Yet it is this system that China now challenges. With its wealth it plans to reform the financial
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