"China is to become a superpower, it cannot play by it's own rules."
A superpower by definition is it plays by its own rule.
A superpower by definition is it plays by its own rule.
Yes in that a superpower does bend the rules to suit themselves.
No in that a superpower is suddenly held to a higher standard than the rest of the world. You'd need to resort to expansionism if you wanted to continue the way that China is right now.