<They are not exactly at the top of the list of aggressive innovation.

Innovative, yes, aggressive, no. Some of this is cultural. Through much of its history, China has not had the expansionist drive that seemed to be a big factor in Europe. On the other hand, given its advanced culture compared to much of the rest of the world through much of recorded history, if they had been more aggressive through more of that history, the whole planet would probably be speaking Chinese. Remember the Khans.

How much this applies to modern China, I don't really know. They are not as isolationist as they once were.