Toss a new factor into the old equation: 50 million or so “excess” males of soldier age, the unintended consequence of a generation of the “one child policy.”
In China a man without a wife and heirs is a big problem, an unstable element, and not even honorable.
Fifty million of them, loose in the countryside???
Much better to send them overseas. If they win victories, great. If they die, fine. If they win victories and most of them die, better yet.
Send them to the fertile islands of Asia, with “Land and brides!” as their battle cry. The Russian far east? Forget it. It’s gone.
In 100 years, I believe there will be more Chinese than Africans in Africa.