How (Dis)Satisfied is China? A power transition theory perspective

The uninterrupted rise of China, concomitant with the progressive erosion of the US unipolar moment, has generated increased interest for the (Power Transition Theory) PTT in the last decade. Observers and scholars have, however, often focused on the possible overtaking of the United States by China, and overlooked the importance of the challenger's 'satisfaction' in the PTT. This article fills this gap by providing an assessment of China's satisfaction with the contemporary East Asian 'status quo'. Contrary to recent assessments depicting China as a 'status quo' actor, the use of the main three indicators developed by the PTT suggests that China is a strongly dissatisfied power.