Chinese Retaliation: Behind China's Strong Words for the U.S. and Taiwan
After a series of spats between the U.S. and China since ‘Balloongate,’ we look at what is behind Beijing’s motives with its record low holdings of U.S. treasury bonds. Even after a meeting between Antony Blinken and Wang Yi, both countries’ top diplomats, China had strong words for the U.S. shootdown and refused to renounce force over Taiwan. The authoritarian giant also hosted Iran’s president while its leader Xi Jinping is planning a trip to Moscow. As Chinese aggression remains unabated, In this episode, Huang Kwei-bo, National Chengchi University Associate Professor of Diplomacy and Wen-ti Sung, Australian National University’s Australian Center on China in the World Lecturer, discuss how democracies from the U.S. to Australia are working together to curb authoritarian influence amid rising Chinese expansionist ambitions. World Economic Forum Agenda Contributor Alex Capri also talks to us about U.S.-China tech decoupling, and Portland State University Professor Jennifer Ruth, on the threat Confucius Institutes pose on academic freedom and their alleged spy activities. Topics discussed: - What is behind Beijing’s all-time low holdings of U.S. treasury bonds? - Is Xi Jinping retaliating against the U.S. shooting of its alleged spy balloon or recent tech and chips bans? - How Taiwan can benefit from simmering U.S.-China competition while strengthening the nation’s self-defense capabilities - Decoupling of tech supply chains between the U.S. and China - Iran, Russia: Is China its ties with authoritarian adversaries of the U.S. as leverage? - Confucius Institutes: How Australia is moving to curb its influence as concerns grow on campuses worldwide - KMT visits China: Will this help or hurt Taiwan’s largest opposition party in next year’s presidential election
