The most prominent case for such a future would be china moving against Taiwan, which now got easier with two of the 3 big world powers making their move.
Somehow it's not ok for the USA to violently meddle in the internal affairs of another country, but it is for the PRC because... Taiwan is nearby? Because the people speak the same language? Because the ghosts of the CPC's past are here on the island? It's frustrating.
China is much weaker than the Golden Empire.