Michael Beckley: China is Dangerously Weak

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AEI's Michael Beckley joins the show to discuss China's peaking power, and why that actually makes them more dangerous. Subscribe YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonJustAskingQuestions/featured Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-asking-questions/id1719355507 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5SpySKAH3LuVyxXk0MF7tl Text and links to sources available here: https://reason.com/podcast/2025/04/17/michael-beckley-china-is-dangerously-weak What if the new Cold War with China turns hot? Just asking questions. China's rise, decline, or potential for conflict is often clouded by propaganda and oversimplification. This episode of Just Asking Questions examines China's real economic, military, and geopolitical trajectory—focusing on Taiwan tensions, trade wars, and demographic challenges. Joining us is Michael Beckley, a Tufts University political science professor and co-author of Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China. His research argues that China's peaking power makes it a unique threat, blending insights on its economy, military, and ambitions. Chapters 00:00 Coming up: China's economic challenges and rising aggression 01:13 What if China invaded Taiwan tomorrow? 05:17 Military capabilities and invasion scenarios for Taiwan 10:28 America's interests and the strategic importance of Taiwan 15:13 The Trump administration's trade war with China 20:47 Economic rivalry and the new Cold War 26:03 China's military modernization and hypersonic threats 31:10 Assessing China's actual military strength 36:14 Lessons from Hong Kong and implications for Taiwan 41:23 Demographic decline and economic stagnation 46:30 One-child policy and irreversible population trends 51:39 Xi Jinping's vision and the roots of Chinese authoritarianism 57:05 The nature of China's political and economic system 01:02:15 Rising assertiveness and wolf warrior diplomacy 01:07:28 Avoiding war and imagining a path to peace 01:13:09 Strategic missteps and the importance of deterrence 01:16:18 Appreciating global order and what's at stake

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