How and Why is China's Military Modernizing?

What factors are driving China's military modernization and how are the U.S. and Chinese militaries dettering each other from a military conflict? Joel Wuthnow joined us in May 2025 to discuss these questions. Learn more about the speaker and watch the videos on military modernization and deterrence. This interview is part of our Faultlines series that examines the strategic differences between the United States and China. The two nations differ in how they see economic, military, cultural, and governance issues, but was this always the case? By examining the view from both sides of the faultline we can piece together how we got here and where we're going next.