Like most countries, China is optimistic about the changing of the guard that took place in Washington yesterday, so much so that the Chinese government withheld the release of it's most recent biannual white paper on China's National Defense until inauguration day (it has usually been released in December). The paper calls in part for better bilateral military relations:
Beijing’s message that it wants to get ties with the US back on track is part of an effort to ensure the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) engages more closely with international counterparts.
The white paper echoes this stance. “China’s security situation has improved steadily,” it stated, while mentioning the economic and technological advantage of developed nations and western efforts at containing it as challenges.
This comes on the heels of China's recent quest for an aircraft carrier and the deployment of its naval forces to the Gulf of Aden. Maybe Beijing is pursuing a military buildup sooner than I had expected. Maybe.