Alongside China’s development of many capabilities necessary to conduct missions far from its borders, China’s actions to shape the international security environment are accelerating. This poses both opportunities and challenges for U.S. policymakers.

PLA Expeditionary Capabilities and Implications for United States Asia Policy | RAND

This is the text of the testimony Kristen Gunness made to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in January of this year. Reading between the lines, it is clear that China is determined to wield a big stick far from its home shores.