Fareastdriver,
Very true, although mainly as regional based Warlords of one sort or another, rarely as "greater China" but your point is valid. There is one HUGE difference now though, and that is that now they DO know something different...
70 odd separatist and secession movements in China, who are as adept at blowing up train stations etc as the likes of terrorist movements a lot closer to home. Going to be hard to keep a lid on that lot for ever.