>>>China is a 3rd rate power but with tons of people.
>
>If/when China decides to invade another country, they'll do it with 1,000,000 troops. A loss rate of 50% will be "disappointing", but there are plenty more troops to replace them. You need to consider who is capable of standing up to that.

When the gloves are off, soldier counts mean nothing these days. The US could nuke China into scortched glass.

One exception that we've learned with Iraq that if you are occupying a country and fail to win the hearts and minds, then you need a lot of troops on the ground.