In terms of force capabilities, those are much more difficult to hide. The amount of say, aircraft carrier groups is always going to be public knowledge, they'r

In terms of force capabilities, those are much more difficult to hide. The amount of say, aircraft carrier groups is always going to be public knowledge, they're too big to hide. But in the world of nuclear ICBMs, the strongest nation states don't ever fight each other directly outside the smallest skirmishes. So the military for China and the US is mostly used to ensure compliance and power within their sphere of influence.