MY TAKE: THE OBVIOUS IS OBVIOUS

Now why would a country like China be aggressively building up its military might in ‘warp speed’ after overtly threatening to invade Taiwan, after illegally installing military bases on highly disputed islands in South China Sea (aka West Philippine Sea), after physically harrassing Filipino fishermen and Philippine Coast Guard vessels and personnel and after a number of other provocative actions in those areas, if they are not actually looking forward to an open conflict with one or both of these countries?