In my opinion, the little nugget of truth here is that the focus of the Chinese government has almost always been inward, and not outward, and definitely has been for the last several generations. Their greatest threat is not the US or anyone else, it is and always has been (and will be) their own people.

If you think about it like this it explains everything that the government has been doing for decades. They limit the population growth so that they can feed everyone and keep discontent down. They focus on the economy to keep discontent down. They build regional and world status to create pride in a greater, unified China. Even their tv shows and movies glorify themes which show a united China as one, and always the government are the good, humble servants. Military power, technological independence, even hostility towards other countries is mostly to build patriotism and unity among their own people.

And of course they restrict the internet, control the media, and limit what people can see and say.

Even when China was being successfully invaded by the Japanese, the existing government was more concerned with the Communist revolution. When they finally got desperate and banded together with the Communists to fight the Japanese, they lost ... to the Chinese Communists who took the opportunity to overthrow them.

So in that sense, it is helpful to understand the Chinese government and the things they are likely to do, and how to interpret them.

"even hostility towards other countries is mostly to build patriotism and unity among their own people."

LOL! Tell this to Vietnam, Philippines, Mongolia, and most of their frightened neighbors.

I didn't say the hostility wasn't real. It doesn't matter why someone is pointing a gun at you when it happens. I was explaining my theory as to why they are bad neighbors.

To be fair, Manchuria and Xinjiang were conquered during the Qing dynasty, who were Manchu people, not Han.

They were later Sinicized after several generations.