That's up to China. We won't fire the 1st shot.

Didn't he advocate for invading Cuba if it allowed a Chinese military base?

Ironically, that's the Ukraine issue transferred to the Western continent, except that Ukraine is a far greater threat than Cuba.

Eventually the bill comes due & the elites are overthrown. Then new elites have to start a legitimacy building phase until they get too arrogant & start spending.

I so wish I had your fearless and confident optimism. I don't see any way of overthrowing these elites. An elite, united, has never been overthrown by a revolution.

China's ambitions are global. It isn't interested in being the world's sugar daddy like the US. It will be an empire in the true, evil sense. The sense where you post winnie the pooh anonymously in Europe & the local cops kick in your door that night & send you to the gulag.

I can definitely see European leaders being willing (and perhaps even eager) to send their subjects to the gulags for insulting Xi, but I don't see Xi demanding that. Why would he? He demands it in his own possessions, because he's in charge there. He's not in charge in Europe, and won't be. He'll just have good trade relations. And if he gets too arrogant, there's always the Americans, so he won't - because he wants European support. He won't be able to take Europe for granted like the US does. Europe will be the kingmaker - the world hegemon will depend on who we support. Sounds pretty sweet to me.

You won't be able to sell any chips once China copies your designs & floods you with their knockoffs.

China isn't nearly as advanced technologically to be able to clone the highly sophisticated technology of ASML. And I don't think Biden is acting in the interests of Europe. He just wants to weaken China at the expense of his slaves.