I think it's important to find a way to agree to disagree. China does not want American values. They genuinely do prefer their own. The Biden administration has cast this as a contest between democracy and autocracy. And I think, unfortunately, that's one of the things that is pushing China and Russia closer together.
There’s rare bipartisan consensus in Washington: China is a threat to be countered. Cornell professor Jessica Chen Weiss says the American approach could lock both countries into an escalatory spiral.
This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Paul Robert Mounsey and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices