China may be Asia’s economic powerhouse but it won’t become the region’s dominant power, according to a new report.

“In examining the factors that go towards the development of Chinese national power-and its ability to use it to achieve national objectives-predictions about a Chinese superpower with the ability to dominate Asia would be premature, if not improbable,” said Paul Dibb and John Lee, authors of the report published by Australian think tank Kokoda Foundation.

The argument that China is already Asia’s pre-eminent power based on its growing economic and military capacities is weak, the authors say. They expect the limitations of China’s economic might, a lack of close bilateral relationships and weak military capability to keep the country from becoming an advanced political-economy that wields influence in the region any time soon.

Read more: http://chinadailymail.com/2014/11/19/why-china-will-never-be-asias-dominant-power/