A retired senior colonel from the People’s Liberation Army, Zhou Bo, is offering insights into China’s military ambitions and views on the United States. Zhou, now a fellow at Tsinghua University, connects these ambitions to the PLA’s approaching 2027 centenary—a key deadline for achieving military modernization. The discussion centers around the goals behind this modernization, hinting at a broader strategic outlook. Zhou’s perspective, as articulated through the SCMP Plus series, provides an early look into complex questions regarding China's rising power. His commentary stems from a background of military experience and academic research, including authorship of “Should the World Fear China?”. The text suggests a complex interplay between China’s internal objectives and its assessment of the international landscape, particularly in relation to the US.