Ten years from now, China will likely be a predominant military power in Asia, but it apparently does not intend to engage in an arms race with the United States nor to seek to become a global power, said Adam Segal, a senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

At least for now, the U.S. and China are more interested in working together on various issues that confront them than they are worried about strategic competition, Segal told the Nov. 12 symposium.

Assessing the various motives behind the rapid modernization of the Chinese military, Segal noted that Beijing's concern over Taiwan's possible move to seek unilateral independence "has become less of an important factor over the last two years." China is confident the status quo in its relations with Taiwan will remain — given the weakened position of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, and increased economic integration between the island and mainland China, he said. Washington has also pressured Chen to adopt a more "mature" policy on the independence issue, reassuring Beijing that the U.S. will act as a "restraining factor" in cross-strait relations, he added.