In many ways Gordon Chang is actually admitting via some caveats within the heart of the interview... that some of his conclusions and the title is more wish than probability.
Particularly when he more or less tracks with the late Dr. Constantine Menges, and concurs that we are actually hindering the democratic revolution against the Chinese Communist Party:
"Today, we overlook, ignore, and sugarcoat. The risk for us is that the Chinese will bring down the current American-led international system long before China would otherwise become a responsible power. We are playing an enormously dangerous game, and we seldom talk about the risks.
Unfortunately, positive change will not come as fast as it should, in part because we have created a set of perverse incentives. The Chinese engage in bad behavior. We reward them. So they continue their irresponsible conduct. We reward them still more. In these circumstances, why would they ever change?
So is our policy toward China succeeding? Not yet. Will it succeed? Yes, in the long term. But there may be no long term." [Emphasis added]
He can be excused for being guardedly optimistic, but he himself is recognizing he could be horribly wrong...
Hence, for national defense planning we can't be banking on his wishful thinking.
The very same wishful thinking that has been holding sway since George H.W. Bush was President Reagan's point man for China.
I think he understates also the import of the degree of 'radicalism' still promulgated by China...if not so much overtly, then covertly via their secretive diplomacy with any and all comers who have issues with the U.S.: Russians, Venezuelans, Iranians, Cubans, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico, Panama and of course North Korea.
They are clearly pushing towards some sort of global, strategic coordinated action against the U.S....probably encompassing, military, and economic.
And the most dangerous times are always when tyrants fear they are losing control. They will use their full power to try and keep it.
Furthermore, even if the CCP were eventually ousted, (which remains to be seen) we still have much reason to be alarmed about the racist nationalism they have been orchestrating to cement their hold on national popularity. this could easily morph into an equally, if not more dangerous version of Sino-Nazism.