I’ve sometimes wondered why the Chinese haven’t taken a more colonial route. It seems like it would solve a lot of ‘problems’ for them.
Find a needy country/content in need of exploitation, send ‘workers’ to help build stuff, ‘vitalize’ the economy, etc. Set aside the ‘one-child’ policy for those who are willing to, ahem, help out overseas ... breed like ... yeah.
And eventually, subjugate/replace the existing population and voila, new Chinese territory. With a billion people on tap, it seems as though it would be easy for them.
For that matter, I’m surprised they haven’t offered to set up a new co-development industrial center somewhere in the Midwest rust belt, build a factory for (consumer electronic goods, presumably), import thousands of workers, build a dynamic neo-industrial utopia on the shores of the ol’ rust belt river. A few years ago they probably could have taken over (or bought) Detroit if they wanted to.
Kind of surprised they haven’t. Go figure.
Other than the Mongols who ruled China for 70 years ( and had their culture subsumed by the superior Chinese culture anyway ), as I looked at China’s history... I don’t get the impression that the Chinese emperors were very keen on colonizing other countries.
Their main interest is opening trade routes and INFLUENCE. Hence, the worst they will do with their vast power is make a country ( e.g. Korea, Vietnam ) a vassal state.
Pay your yearly tribute and open up your country for trade and natural resource exploitation and we’ll pretty much leave you alone.