Given that Beijing would profit most from subordinating a US ally within the anti-hegemonic coalition, China’s best, most consequential strategy for establishing hegemony would be to employ the fait accompli to conquer the key territory of a contiguous or proximate state or entity that is part of the anti-hegemonic coalition, ideally one that has a security commitment from the United States. This would necessitate defeating the victim’s military forces and conquering its key territory in order to compel its surrender.
