Read a great book recently analysing British and American imperial ambitions and how in the early 20th century they were competing over China. In earlier periods Britain was competing with other rival european imperial powers for it (Century of Humil. and all that). Massive population, huge market for goods.

The CPC really fucked with all their plans. If the KMT had won the war like the west really wanted, the China would be a neo-colony today. Most likely, all those western liberal wet dreams of a balkanised China would come to fruition.