The Great Decoupling

In this week’s podcast Guy foster, Chief Strategist speaks to Nigel Inkster an expert with an unparalleled perspective on Sino American relations honed from 30 years with British Secret Intelligence and a further decade at the Institute for Strategic Studies. Nigel now works for Enodo Economics, a China-focussed consultancy. In this podcast we ask Nigel what role history and culture have in shaping China’s strategic objectives today. Has former President Trump disturbed an uneasy equilibrium between these two powers or just exposed an inevitable fissure? We ask about the historic relevance of Taiwan to mainland China as well as its very modern strategic importance. Nigel also gives his assessment of the characteristics of Xi Jinping, the man at the helm of the largest and most consequential communist state in history.