A more powerful China will not be easy to deal with. It still carries the baggage of historical grievances and suspicion of foreign motives that is a legacy of a colonial era marked by humiliation. Yes, in 20 years it will be stronger. But the important issue is not absolute but relative military strength. As China's power grows, so will that of its neighbors, whose forces already substantially outnumber China's military in both quantity and quality.
Perspective is crucial in all our assessments of China.
Although human-rights abuses persist, the situation is vastly improved from the terror of the Cultural Revolution period. The difference is we know more about today's problems because of China's greater openness. Yes, China continues to suppress political dissent. But it has allowed dramatically more personal freedoms, more open debate, even the right to sue the government. People are largely free to find their own jobs, choose their careers, share opinions with their neighbors, move around the country, and do almost anything other than directly challenge the government.