First off, I don't see a war between the US and China happening anytime soon. Our economies are both too dependant, they would be hurt VERY badly in the even of having trade cut off all of a sudden. China may be led by people who are, for all intents and purposes, evil - but that doesn't make them stupid. They aren't going to send China back a decade or two, lose the US as a trading partner, and likely a lot of Europe as well by starting a war with US. They, like all humans are greedy and looking out for themselves first - but that doesn't mean they are stupid about it.
Anyway, in the event of a war between the two, I still maintain that the US would win. In the original article, it is assumed that a land war would take place. Why? Starting a land war in Asia is suicide; by say, the Soviet standard, we're doing great in Afghanistan and Iraq. While undoubtedly North Korea would attempt to invade South Korea in the confusion, I doubt they would be able to break through. Hungry, badly trained troops with low morale don't generally like running into thousands of machine guns and artillary pieces that we have gathered across the Korean border.
But that would only be a sideshow. The main attraction would be the US alliance (With Japan as chief ally) fighting a sea and air war around Japan and Taiwan. Air is the most important here, whichever side takes total air superiority can sink the others navy and attack their cities and bases at will. Navy is important here too though, because without a navy China can never launch and amphibious assault upon Taiwan, much less Japan. (I find both options unlikely, as China's amphibious forces are pretty bad, and both targets would be heavily defended. A bombardment until peace was arranged would be more likely)
As this would be an air and sea war, the US would win. I hate to break it to all the Pro-Chinese guys out there, but do you know what the strongest Air Force out there is? The USAF. Do you want to know what's the second? The US Navy. China is third, with England fourth. We have more planes than they do, and most of ours are better than most of theirs.
Don't get me wrong, they have some good MiG imitations and whatnot, but they have only a few that are better than the F-15 or F-16. And in a few years, once the F/A-22 and JSF enter service, our air superiority will be assured. (The only plane that can compare with the F-22 is the Eurofighter Typhoon, which doesn't have stealth technology, and perhaps one of China's newer fighters that they are developing - which is AT LEAST 20 years down the road before operational deployment) In trials, an F-22 can commonly shoot down four or five F-15's before he's even spotted; it's scary how big of a jump has happened in thirty years.
I'll talk briefly about nukes, quite simply, I don't think they'll be used. The international political fallout would be as bad as the physical; once again, they aren't stupid.
I think I've talked for long enough, but you see the point. And I haven't even mentioned the wild card in all this - India. India seems to be unsure whether she is a ally or rival of China's, but lately they seem to be growing more towards the US as China's power grows. (Anyone remember that poll, with more Indians favorably viewing America than in France or Germany?) If India has competant leadership at the time of any war, they would use that time to gain more power on the international stage, possibly by negotiating a peace deal or something of that magnitutde. That could be their ticket to a UN SC seat, which they desperately want.
