What you'll learn

• 1 (00:15) **Introduction: The Stakes of the U.S.-China Tech Race** - Host Terry Gross introduces guest Evan Osnos, a New Yorker staff writer and former Beijing bureau chief, whose latest article examines whether the era of American global leadership is ending.
• 2 (01:50) **How the Iran War Shifts the Balance of Power** - Osnos explains that the U.S. military diversion to the Middle East has created a strategic opening for China.
• 3 (04:05) **The Irony of U.S. Reliance on Chinese Supply Chains** - The U.S. is dependent on Chinese factories to produce the very munitions needed to counter China.
• 4 (05:04) **China’s Cautious Alignment with Iran** - Beijing has supported Iran without overtly joining the conflict, maintaining a strategy of challenging the U.S. without full confrontation.
• 5 (06:39) **How China Views the U.S.: A Declining but Dangerous Rival** - Osnos explains the Chinese perception of America as an empire in decline that may lash out unpredictably.
• 6 (08:49) **How China Turned Tariffs to Its Advantage** - China prepared for Trump’s tariffs by building self-reliance and pivoting exports to new markets, effectively neutralizing the intended economic pressure.
• 7 (11:47) **Xi Jinping’s “Thank Trump” Strategy** - A state-approved think tank report titled “Thank Trump” argues that the president is hastening the decline of the American empire.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app