Baker’s Dozen: China’s Internal Challenges and External Policies

In this episode of the Stratfor Baker's Dozen podcast from RANE, host Rodger Baker speaks to  Michael Cunningham, a geopolitical analyst and “China watcher” who has assisted multinational companies manage and maneuver changes in China’s political, regulatory and security environment. The refocus on great power competition has brought about a surge of new analysis on China, focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative, on its naval build-up, geoeconomics coercion, and Wolf Warrior diplomacy. With talk of a Cold War 2.0, there is a similar risk of oversimplifying perceptions of China, of painting them as 10 feet tall, century-planners who appear always successful. As with any country, the reality is far different. China’s leadership is perhaps even more concerned about the domestic socio-economic balance than it is about U.S. FONOPS in the South China Sea. 
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