Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1633 - Trump, China & Canada’s Strategic Crossroads: Taiwan, Power, and a Shifting World Order

On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian Crombie is joined by Charles Burton for a wide-ranging discussion on the rapidly evolving geopolitical struggle between the United States and China — and what it could mean for Canada and the global order. The conversation begins with President Donald Trump’s recent visit to China and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reference to the “Thucydides Trap” — the theory that conflict often arises when a rising power challenges an established one. Together, they examine China’s long-term ambitions, the growing tensions surrounding Taiwan, the concept of strategic ambiguity, and whether the world is entering a more unstable multipolar era marked by rising authoritarian influence and weakening global consensus. The discussion also explores China’s internal pressures, including economic slowdown, demographic decline, military instability, and youth unemployment — and whether these challenges could shape Beijing’s global behaviour in the years ahead. In the second half of the program, the focus shifts to Canada’s relationship with China following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent diplomatic engagement and discussions around strategic cooperation. The episode examines difficult questions about economic dependence, foreign influence, espionage concerns, democratic values, and whether Canada risks becoming strategically vulnerable in an increasingly competitive world. As global alliances shift and tensions rise, the episode asks a larger question: Does the West still understand the realities of power, deterrence, and authoritarian ambition — and where does Canada fit in this new geopolitical landscape?