I think it's more about multipolar vs unipolar. The time period you describe includes multiple massive european wars between nation states who were incentivize

I think it's more about multipolar vs unipolar. The time period you describe includes multiple massive european wars between nation states who were incentivized to improve industrialization, logistics and yes technology. China's periodic bloody uprisings don't create the same incentive, they basically didn't have foreign policy until it came knocking.