Unfortunately, that military advantage only exists against smaller countries. Aircraft carriers just don't hit like they used to ever since the proliferation of cheap drones.

China was already protected 10 years ago by its fleet of cruise missiles, but Iran has recently shown resilience as well (mind you, their installations were bombarded back to the stone age, but it doesn't take much to hang out in a cave and launch a drone at a ship passing by).

Besides, if bullying smaller countries helped in the long run, the USSR would still exist. As is, most of eastern europe joined NATO for protection against russian invasion, it stands to reason that other countries would join similar alliances if the tides were turned.