| Reporting on China is challenging. The country’s leaders seldom give interviews to Western media and when they do they tend to stick to prepared official lines. To understand China, journalists rely on well-connected academics who know the workings and worldview of the Communist Party. The Economist’s Geopolitics editor, David Rennie, speaks to one of China’s shrewdest experts on America, Da Wei. He is a professor and director of the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University. They discuss China’s view of Taiwan and how Beijing could take the small island nation. 00:00 - Could Trump sell out Taiwan for a trade deal? 02:24 - How China can win over the Taiwanese 03:35 - How Taiwan would be governed under China 06:01 - The opportunity from a Donald Trump presidency Watch the full show: https://www.economist.com/insider/inside-geopolitics/chinas-grand-plan-taiwan-tech-and-the-trump-effect Read our China coverage: https://www.economist.com/topics/china China proved its strengths in 2025—and Donald Trump helped: https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/12/18/china-proved-its-strengths-in-2025-and-donald-trump-helped Beijing insiders’ plan to play Donald Trump: https://www.economist.com/international/2025/11/11/beijing-insiders-plan-to-play-donald-trump Xi Jinping has Vladimir Putin over a barrel: https://www.economist.com/china/2025/05/12/xi-jinping-has-vladimir-putin-over-a-barrel China and Japan are in a vicious game of chicken over Taiwan: https://www.economist.com/china/2025/11/18/china-and-japan-are-in-a-vicious-game-of-chicken-over-taiwan If China invaded Taiwan, who would enter the war?: https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/06/12/if-china-invaded-taiwan-who-would-enter-the-war Sign up to the Insider newsletter: https://econ.st/4nOyzIb |
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