Confict is typically expanded by running out of resources, China isnt an ally of Russia but they are not an ally of America either.
Resources for many countries including fuel and energy supplies are getting critical very fast. Easy to expand a conflict in these conditions and who knows maybe before this ends China and Australia are best allies. Stranger things have happened during periods of conflict and necessity.
I would expect ww3 to be as different as ww1 was to ww2, probably more due to the passage of time and technology. Remember the most powerful weapons are created at the end of a war not at the beginning.
