In the Shadow of Uncertainty. China's Military Power in the Era of Xi Jinping 
 
According to Kenneth Waltz, states live in the perpetual "shadow of violence." Wars, armed conflicts, and military threats still exist. Military power is vital to every country, but it has different significance for superpowers. 
China frequently asserts its territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea, occasionally risking the possibility of armed conflicts. China's approach to Taiwan and its activities in the Taiwan Strait is characterized by aggression, and it has openly warned the island of potential military conflict. 
The rivalry between China and the United States' is becoming increasingly significant. More than two decades ago, the PRC began modernizing its armed forces, following the internal balancing policy of the United States'. China has moved from developing "niches of excellence," the ability to conduct asymmetric warfare, to developing potential in a manner characteristic of a superpower: the first aircraft carriers, the development of amphibious capabilities, or the submarine fleet. 
How the rivalry between the US and China will ultimately resolve remains uncertain. While it is not inevitable for a war between a still dominant superpower and an aspiring one, we are heading towards a new bipolar system in which the competition of world powers may take an even sharper form. Thus, we will continue to live in an everlasting shadow of uncertainty.