Daniel Kurtz-Phelan on Trump's Concessions to China and Where Beijing Sees Russia in the Global Order

Daniel Kurtz-Phelan has served as Editor of Foreign Affairs for the past five years. He specializes in U.S. foreign policy and China. Despite the inconsistency and contradictions that often characterize Donald Trump’s policies, during his second term Trump has shifted both his rhetoric and his overall approach toward China.According to Kurtz-Phelan, the U.S. president is far more interested in maintaining stable—and at times even relativelywarm—relations with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. To achieve this, he has made certain concessions regarding Taiwan, one of the most contentious issues in U.S.-China relations. China’s leadership now feels that developments surrounding Taiwan are moving in its favor.For the time being, a Chinese military invasion of the island appears unlikely. However, the risks could increase within the next few years. The Editor of Foreign Affairs points to2028 as a potential year of escalation. Presidential elections will take place both in Taiwan and in the United States that year. “The interaction between these two political processes could prove destabilizing and alter China’sapproach,” Kurtz-Phelan argues.Journalist Natalia Gumenyuk speaks with the Editor of Foreign Affairs about the U.S.-China rivalry and Trump’schanging approach toward Beijing, the relationship between Beijing and Moscow and the legacy of their Soviet past, how Russia’s war against Ukraine is viewed in the White House, and the misconception of Trump as an isolationist.Do you like our podcast? Support the Public Interest Journalism Lab with a Donation https://www.journlab.online/donations