Just how badly could China hurt America in battle?

Answer: Not nearly as much as you might think

Members of the People's Liberation Army participate in a drill.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Stringer)

Last month's confrontation at sea between the People's Republic of China and the United States made one fact all too clear: The two countries have very, very different national interests in key strategic areas.

The United States, the dominant power in Asia and the Pacific, would rather retain the status quo while the rising power China wants to carve out its own sphere of influence in the South China Sea. These interests are for the most part mutually exclusive — that is, China's gain must come at a cost to the United States, and vice-versa.

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Kyle Mizokami is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Daily Beast, TheAtlantic.com, The Diplomat, and The National Interest. He lives in San Francisco.