The Chinese leadership is plenty capable of ruling through massive famines. As long as the party cadres are fed and well armed the people can’t do anything. Despite advances in telecommunications China remains a very closed country.
Yeah, but superpowers aren’t generally a ‘closed country’.
China has had opportunities to expand phenomenally beyond its comfort zone, and has not done so. Every time, they’ve pulled back, almost as though they’re afraid...of what? That China itself will be changed by exposure to outsiders?