What China Thinks It Can Gain From a Disordered World

Like the rest of us, China’s leaders are confronting a world in turmoil. They see uncertain American commitments to allies, even as many of those allies ramp up their own defense efforts. They see changing relationships, whether deepening ties between Russia and North Korea or new connections among anxious middle powers. They see American military action in the Middle East and Western Hemisphere, with effects on American power in China’s own region.

Read more How to Save the UN From Irrelevance

And yet, as Oriana Skylar Mastro sees it, far from surprising Beijing, such disruptions are being taken as confirmation of what Chinese leader Xi Jinping often refers to as “great change unseen in a century.” Mastro has written a series of essays for Foreign Affairs on how Beijing aims to shape and exploit that change. She joined Dan Kurtz-Phelan to discuss China’s strategy for navigating this turmoil—and what the United States should, and should not, do in response.

Read more The Ukraine Lesson Taiwan Keeps Missing

Sources:

“Kim’s Dangerous Liaisons” by Oriana Skylar Mastro

“China’s Agents of Chaos” by Oriana Skylar Mastro

“The Next Tripartite Pact” by Oriana Skylar Mastro

“The Taiwan Temptation” by Oriana Skylar Mastro

“The Stealth Superpower” by Oriana Skylar Mastro

“North Korea as It Is” by Victor Cha

This episode of The Foreign Affairs Interview was produced by Rose Kohler and Kanishk Tharoor, with audio engineering by Christopher Koch and Markus Zakaria and original music by Robin Hilton. Special thanks to Irina Hogan.

Read more How Europe Can Get Putin’s Attention