But:For sure they are top tier spying threats, but I have to disagree with the latter.
Let's just start counting from the time the communists took over in 1949, since that's the current government.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...china-fought/articleshow/5357547.cms?from=mdr
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_wars_and_battles
You have:
1950 - The Korean War (They were never directly attacked by anyone, and they joined the side of the aggressors)
1950 - Invasion of Tibet (No ambiguity on the aggressor here)
1950-1955 Multiple battles with the Nationalists/Taiwan after the communists took control
1962 - Indo-China War (China attacking India, partly because of their support of Tibet + ongoing border disputes)
1967 - Sino-Indian War of 1967 (shorter encore war)
1964-1975 Vietnam War (similar to the Korean war)
1979 - Chinese Invasion of Vietnam (China was a supporter of the Khmer Rouge)
They also had multiple "clashes" with the Soviets, and of course all the "near misses" with almost every country in East/SE Asia.
The current Chinese government which has been in power since 1949 has had plenty of experience invading other countries. Granted, it's we haven't seen too much using current warfare such as stealth & drones, but they've shown they're willing to be the aggressors in the past, and I wouldn't doubt they'll try again.
The Korean war they joined to help North Korea to protect their borders because they did not want American influenced South Korean winning and allowing Americans to be right at their borders...
Tibet there is ambiguity that even America recognizes which is why no other country ever helps Tibet which is that Tibet was invaded and conquered by China before America was ever a country itself...
Regarding Taiwan that is a civil war where the losers(Taiwan) fled to Taiwan and were then protected by American warships which prevented China from finishing them off...Taiwan has always been a part of China until the civil war caused Taiwan to claim independence...
The Indo-China wars were not to invade India and take their territories but to discourage them from supporting Tibet which was conquered by China centuries ago...
Vietnam wars including supporting the Communist Khmer is the same situation as the Korean wars where China supported the Communists because the Americans supported the Democratic sides in those wars so China was just not wanting Americans to control territory adjacent to China...
So my point being is that China does not seek to expand their borders and history supports this...but China will of course fight proxy wars to keep the buffer countries in place that prevent Americans from having allies adjacent to them...all the other various clashes can ask be attributed to proxy wars or them fighting off controlling foreign influences such as fighting off the Soviets etc...