It is so funny how you talk exactly about Australia like how US talk about China.
US say China profit with trade with them to become powerfull but not behaving as US want so they are decoupling and are no longer under illusion about China. You and China Gov are saying exactly the same thing with Australia. If you think china should retaliate on Australia so you should also accept US to retaliate on China. You guys are so blind by idealism that you don't even see you are behaving exactly like US.
Of course I accept it. America should try to defend its global crown, and China should try to take it. I don't fault them for wanting to keep that title and I don't fault them for trying to do their best. You're the one complaining and whining here. I've got no complaints, simply said if they want to do unfair things, we can do it too. This is a cold war for the top of the world, no holds barred.
That is what make China IR incoherent.
I thought you said that the coherent strategy is to compete, and now that you see China is and has always been competing at the highest, it's somehow still incoherent for other reasons all the same? LOL Now that's what I call incoherent!