[At] first, a few years ago, it was believed that the Chinese leadership had some mysterious plan for all the new things the generals were buying. But now it appears that there's no plan, just a shopping spree by a lot of independent minded military big-shots. It's all very expensive, and worrisome.
Well, this doesn't address the idea that Russia may have some pretty focused ideas about who China should fight based on weapons sales to China.
And this doesn't address the intense Chinese interest in capturing Taiwan. If China isn't building up their military with an eye on Taiwan, Taiwan will still be the only obvious target for that build up of arms.
Nor does the argument that there is no focus to the military build up deny that even this scattered shopping spree will include all the components the Chinese need to invade Taiwan.
China doesn't need to be efficient to be a danger to Taiwan. Add a little of this and a dash of that, and pretty soon you get the ingredients for an invasion force without even trying.
