China's Emergence as a Superpower (till 2014)

[carl]

If China is "hemmed in", why are so many people so concerned over what China is up to in Africa, or Central Asia?

I'd suggest that the traditional idea of geographical containment is no longer particularly relevant, and neither is the idea of a sort of physical "perimeter" on a global scale.

The question of why we would or would not fight in any given place or case is always interesting, especially since it largely depends on domestic politics at any given moment. Again, though, I don't see how it relates to this idea of an empire, nor have I seen any credible definition of "empire" that would accommodate the US.

Excitable I guess. I don't see what the big deal is about the Chinese in Africa. China has a land border with Central Asia. They are hemmed in by islands seaward, not landward. One reason people are concerned about Chinese activity in the South China Sea, I think, is that is a push against the perimeter. (Alert for David, this may call for another thread jump.)

Why is the idea of containment no longer relevant? Why is not a global perimeter relevant?

Maybe it has nothing to do with what an empire is or isn't. It is interesting though. It looks a little like a grand strategy.