Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast Unpacking the US-China Trade War with Bill Bishop
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Aug 19, 2025 
Bill Bishop, a China expert and former media executive, shares his insights on the turbulent landscape of U.S.-China trade relations. He discusses the ongoing ramifications of tariffs and trade wars initiated under Trump, delving into China's economic evolution post-COVID-19. The conversation explores the fierce competition in technology, particularly semiconductors, and the ideological underpinnings driving each nation's strategies. Bishop also examines China's ambitions in clean energy and the complexities of governance in the contrasting systems.
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China's Strategic Economic Shift
- China has intentionally shifted from real estate to high-end manufacturing and cleantech to reduce vulnerability and gain global leverage.
- This strategy gives China more capacity to withstand U.S. pressure and to exert pressure in return.
China's EV Surge Is Real
- Chinese EV makers have become globally competitive through rapid innovation, scale, and cost advantages.
- Government support seeded the industry but top firms now compete on entrepreneurship and product quality.
How China Won Solar Markets
- China dominated solar by accepting dirty, low-cost production and scaling domestic demand before exporting globally.
- Now they must rationalize overcapacity while the rest of the world faces cheap Chinese competition.
