China? respect?

I would say possibly one of the superpowers in the world if that's what you want to call them but no way in comparison to the US in military might.  After the fall of the soviet union, there isn't that much out there which can compare.   

An economic superpower which may outgrow the US, now that's very likely. 

That would be the biggest mistake for both countries, I think more so for the US since China has many other partners and will have no problems sending $$$ to them that would have went to the US.   China is growing so fast and is willing to open up towards capitalism that even with problems that the US has with China's stance on Taiwan or human rights, we are willing to invest a lot of money there.   I think it would hurt us economically but not crippling or anything like that.  It would just be stupid.  They are like a untouched mine full of buying power. 

I don't think China has a chance militarily.  Though they have nukes (maybe several but not hundreds or thousands like the US), it's suspect if they even have a delivery system to get it to the US.  They may be the military bully in Asia but not in the world.  The only reason we are worried about N. Korea and Iraq and Iran is not that they will screw us but attack the countries near them. 

Plus, a lot of China's military is built on previous Soviet technologies.  Once they collasped, they ran out of one of their main military suppliers.  Europeans may be supplying stuff but unlikely to give them the best of the best because of their relationship with the US.  There's really no other supplier I can think of that can help them. 

I'm just guessing but I'd say, overall, they are at least 10 years behind us militarily.   

I've never heard anyone in the news, no military expert from any country, say that China is an equal or better militarily than the US.   Not even from China and I do read the Chinese newspaper and watch Chinese TV.

It might take a bit longer since they've got us outnumbered 2 - 1 in terms of size, but with all due respect to the "other" super-pwer, we'd wipe the floor with them, at home or abroad.  On average they lag 20-30 years behind us in terms of conventional firepower (in particular the Air Force).  And a huge slice of their 2+ million soldiers are basically in-garrison regional defense (read: full time local militia).

As for the economic side... they are probably shunned as a super-power because their per-capita income sucks.  Certainly one of the worst in the region, let alone the world... but you are correct, they are getting better and there is nothing to be gained by fighting or boycotting them.

bts 

Just to say it is one thing, but it has to be backed up with some data.  I'm saying i've never heard any military stategist or someone with data prove otherwise.  All i've heard is the opposite. 

Granted my mo land has made many strides which I will give them credit for (which many other countries have not accomplished), like their ambitious three gorges dam or their ambitious one of a kind buildings they are trying to make for the 2008 oly, but military is just not one of them. 

I'll agree with you they outnumber our military, but so does N. korea.  But honestly, in a war, we aren't going to try to occupy them.  We are going to bomb the crap out of them.  Any war would be in China, not the US.  Take nukes out, we would do the same thing we did in Iraq.  Precision bombing.  And even with nukes, like I said, what delivery system do they have?  I think none.