I don't know why military people get their knickers in a knot over a bit of Chinese sabre-rattling - when they already have substantial world control via economic means.
The Chinese have been investing their massive surplus of funds in mines all around the world - to ensure substantial control of commodity pricing, plus ensuring their raw material supply. The Chinese effectively control all the world zinc supplies (as just one example), because they own nearly every zinc mine in the world.
The Chinese dominate the worlds steel production, with around a billion tonnes in annual production. They stockpile large amounts of strategic minerals and commodities to ensure they can't be held to ransom by suppliers.
They have invested in large amounts of strategically-placed property around the world, of every type, all around the world - from ports to other infrastructure.
The only thing they would like to get better control of, and more supplies of, is oil and gas. Thus the drive into the SCS.
These people are not only very long-term planners, they are particularly shrewd business people, and they can run rings around any Western politician or so-called industry leader - and many Western military leaders as well.
Westerners plan 5 yrs ahead, the Chinese plan 50 yrs ahead, and move steadily and incrementally towards their goals.
The major difference with China, as compared to the West, is that the political, business and military leadership of China Inc, is fully integrated.