The New Administration and China, with Dean Cheng - on Midrats
The Long Pivot's New Chapter
In the first month of the new Trump Administration, much of the attention outside our borders has focused on Europe and the Middle East—the two regions that always seem to divert our focus from America’s greatest competitor, the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
We often think of the challenge in terms of the most obvious arena—the Pacific—but it extends from the Arctic to Africa and, increasingly, to space.
Returning to Midrats this Sunday to discuss the PRC’s challenge for the new administration is Dean Cheng.
You can listen here, or at the Spotify widget below.
Dean Cheng, Senior Advisor, United States Institute of Peace; Non-resident Senior Fellow, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies; Non-resident Fellow, George Washington University Space Policy Institute.
He recently retired after 13 years with the Heritage Foundation, where he was a senior research fellow on Chinese political and security affairs, and wrote on various aspects of Chinese foreign and defense policy.
Prior to joining the Heritage Foundation, he was a senior analyst with the China Studies Division (previously, Project Asia) at CNA from 2001-2009. Before joining CNA, he was a senior analyst with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) from 1996-2001. From 1993-1995, he was an analyst with the US Congress’ Office of Technology Assessment in the International Security and Space Division, where he studied the Chinese defense industrial complex.
He is the author of the book Cyber Dragon: Inside China’s Information Warfare and Cyber Operations (NY: Praeger Publishing, 2016), as well as a number of papers and book chapters examining various aspects of Chinese security affairs.
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Summary
In this conversation, Sal, Mark and Dean discuss the evolving global landscape with a focus on China's strategic ambitions in space, military capabilities, and economic strategies. They explore the implications of China's presence on the moon, its approach to international order, and the challenges posed by its cyber and nuclear capabilities. The discussion highlights the need for the U.S. to reassess its priorities in light of China's growing influence and the importance of strategic choices moving forward.
Takeaways
China is challenging the post-war international order established by the U.S.
The U.S. needs to focus on China's ambitions in space.
China's presence on the moon could redefine international norms.
The Chinese view of engagement differs significantly from the U.S. perspective.
China's cyber capabilities pose a significant threat to U.S. interests.
The evolution of China's nuclear deterrence is a growing concern.
China's demographic challenges may impact its long-term strategy.
The U.S. must prioritize its strategic choices in response to China.
China's economic espionage is a tool for technological advancement.
The need for a coherent U.S. strategy to counter China's influence is critical.
Chapters
00:00: Introduction and Context of the Trump Administration’s First Month
03:35: China's Global Challenge and Space Ambitions
08:44: The Implications of China's Space Strategy
17:33: China's Technological Advancements in Space
24:32: Chinese Military Strategy and Information Dominance
29:01: China's Strategic Maneuvers in the Pacific
31:56: Cultural Perspectives: Engagement vs. Cooperation
36:31: Cyber Warfare: China's Digital Strategies
39:38: China's Evolving Nuclear Deterrence
44:05: Demographic and Economic Challenges for China
47:44: Shifting Focus: U.S. Foreign Policy and China
51:57: Future Considerations: Prioritizing Global Threats
As always, terrific podcast. Many thanks, Sal.
The obvious challenge long term for the 21st Century is the Pacific theater. My abiding hope is that beneath the current chaos we see in the negotiations over Ukraine there lie some achievable strategic objectives affecting the Pacific. Not only might the negotiations over the war in Ukraine lead to a weakening of the developing Russia-China alliance, but perhaps more importantly they might lead to the isolation of North Korea. If North Korea can be cut off from its principal enabler, Russia, it will die on the vine. The geostrategic chessboard is very complex and it is not limited to eastern Europe!