Will Crampton sailed across the Atlantic when he was 18, and then flew across the Pacific as an exchange student to China in 1986. He has had a long career in tech, business, and language education since then, focused on the US, Asia, and China markets as an expat businessman in Asia for 20 years. Will set up the largest tech training company in Tennessee in the 1990s.

Key Highlights

[00:01 – 08:02] How China’s New Leader Drives a More Complacent, Quiet China

• Will and Brian discuss how the recent Winter Olympic games have been covered and how they relate to geopolitics around US-China relations. They also discuss how Panda Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Xi Jinping’s model of Maoism relate to one another.
• There has been a dramatic change in tone from China, which is now seen as a position of strength.
• Although communism remains unpopular among many people, it is still an important part of Chinese history.

[08:03 – 28:43] China’s Goal: Take Over the World

• Xi Jinping came to power in 2012 and has since focused on developing the country and getting people out of poverty. There has been a recent falling out between China and the Soviet Union, which is likely to have long-term consequences for the relationship between the two countries.
• China is looking to expand its control over the world, and it is doing this by building a stronger military and expanding its influence.
• Private capital is fleeing China, and this is happening to a number of major corporation heads.
• The Chinese government is aiming not to repeat the mistakes of the Soviet Union. They are also moving against Hong Kong.

[28:44 – 42:56] Will China Grow to be a Major World Power?

• While mainland China is now the government of China, Taiwan is still supported by a few smaller nations around the world.
• The current leader of China is likely to wait until later before making a move on Taiwan, as he does not want to damage the Chinese economy.
• The Chinese government is trying to replace Taiwan as a supplier of chips, and if the US does not help Taiwan, it will lose rankings in the Global Power Index.
• China is orienting itself more towards Asia and the Pacific, which could be a threat to the US

[42:57 – 46:22] Closing Segment

• This conversation deserves part two. Watch out for it!