In AD 2011, war was beginning.
American-Chinese relations degrade rapidly in 2006, following a mass cyber attack by China that causes the recession to hit earlier, and harder.
In 2008, Taiwan is hit by "unknown forces" in a mass terrorist attack, larger then 9/11 and causing more casualties. It was a small dirty bomb, irradiating much of the southern portion of the island. The material from the bomb is traced to China.
Early 2010, China boycotts the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Late 2010. China annexes Mongolia, and begins to flex it's military might. The J-20 is revealed, and the Varyag is refitted and repaired faster then any Western analyst had imagined.
February 2011: Revolution in the Middle East. China supplies arms to Gaddafi's forces, causing America to arm the rebels in addition to mass tactical and strategic conventional strikes.
April 2011: China signs a mutual protection pact with Pakistan, outraging India. Chinese-Indian relations drastically turn for the worse.
July 7th, 2011. China declares war on Taiwan. J-20s streak across the sky, bombing the island flat and decimating Taiwan's airforce. Fighting begins on the island itself.
August 10th, 2011: China declares war on America after the USS Nimitz and it's strike group move to support Taiwan. Short range ballistic missile strikes are fired at the force, damaging the Nimitz and sinking several escorting ships.
August 10th, 2011: North Korean and Chinese tanks roll across the South Korean border. Fighting is intense, with both sides pushing forwards only to be cut off and destroyed, then retreating. The North Korean's navy of midget subs wreak havoc, but take heavy losses against the more advanced South Korean navy.
August 10th, 2011: Pakistani and Indian forces clash in the Kashmir. Nepal is attacked by China.
Please, please comment. Feel free to add ideas.