China's growth to prominence in the international community after the end of the Cold War, the upturn in economic power and population numbers projects that China is able to become the leading world power within several decades, regardless of the course its government takes. The article aims to contribute in answering the question whether this rise will be peaceful through a comparative analysis of resolved and unresolved territorial disputes between China and groups of neighboring states between 1986 and 2014. While previous studies have focused rather exclusively on Chinese behavior, this text will examine both sides of the dispute and the parties' behavior in light of regional dynamics.