I think that the important thing to look at is the habits and tendencies of countries to see what it is that they'll do. Most general populaces are peace-loving, meaning they don't want to be personally involved in war, but it's not usually up to the people as such.
In the case of the US, in its reasonably short history it has expanded its territories almost continually up to the mid-twentieth century. It has taken over the majority of the southern half of North America, and expanded its sovereignty over the Pacific.
China on the other hand is a different case. Over its very long history, China's tendency has been direct conquering, expansion over those territories immediately around it, like modern day Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia, etc. Even when it was able to expand overseas, such as during the Ming dynasty, it did not do so. It projected power to India, Japan, and East Africa, but didn't take any territory or establish any long-term office there.
Peace loving may not be the right word, to be sure, but China at least is more often concerned about its domestic struggles than with foreign powers.
In the case of the US, in its reasonably short history it has expanded its territories almost continually up to the mid-twentieth century. It has taken over the majority of the southern half of North America, and expanded its sovereignty over the Pacific.
China on the other hand is a different case. Over its very long history, China's tendency has been direct conquering, expansion over those territories immediately around it, like modern day Vietnam, Korea, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia, etc. Even when it was able to expand overseas, such as during the Ming dynasty, it did not do so. It projected power to India, Japan, and East Africa, but didn't take any territory or establish any long-term office there.
Peace loving may not be the right word, to be sure, but China at least is more often concerned about its domestic struggles than with foreign powers.
