中国地居东亚，南方是各种群岛组成的东南亚地区，东部是广袤的太平洋，西部则是连绵的高山山脉，这就导致中国唯一可以算的上的敌人就是来自北方的游牧民族，古代历史也可以说是一部南方农耕民族和北方游牧民族的斗争史，欧亚大陆的另一边则在工业革命之后开始了国力的飞跃，西方各国在全世界进行殖民扩张，葡萄牙西班牙荷兰英国在世界上进行角逐，他们以世界为棋盘，把各国当作棋子，就此进行原始的资本积累。在美版知乎Quora上，美国网友提问道：为什么中国从未能够成为一个全球性的军事大国？这个问题引起各国网友的争议，我们来看看他们的观点。
问题：中国为什么从未称为一个全球性军事强权国家？
英国专家麦道克威廉姆斯的回答
First of all, China has always been a country dominated by agricultural civilization. It has always focused on its own security and stability. In all dynasties, only when the country was pided would it struggle to become a unified country through endless civil war. The plateaus, deserts and seas around China are buffer zones to prevent foreign invasion, while the natural environment in the region is superior and there is no need to expand and seize resources. This is an important reason why the Chinese nation has not focused on West Asia, Europe and Africa.
首先，中国一直是一个农耕文明主导的国家，它一直专注于自身的安全和稳定。历朝历代，只有在国家分裂的时候，它才会通过无休止的内战为成为一个统一的国家而奋斗。中国周围的高原、荒漠和海洋是阻止外族入侵的缓冲区，而域内自然环境优越，不需扩张掠取资源，这是中华民族没有着眼于西亚、欧洲和非洲的重要原因。
First of all, China has always been a country dominated by agricultural civilization. It has always focused on its own security and stability. In all dynasties, only when the country was pided would it struggle to become a unified country through endless civil war. The plateaus, deserts and seas around China are buffer zones to prevent foreign invasion, while the natural environment in the region is superior and there is no need to expand and seize resources. This is an important reason why the Chinese nation has not focused on West Asia, Europe and Africa.