Here’s Peter Berkowitz, a Straussian scholar in political philosophy who has served in gov’t, most recently as Director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff & Senior Adviser to former SecState Mike Pompeo. His job was to put together a picture of Chinese action, intent, & power; & to think broadly about what American strategy should be. So listen to him talk to Harvey Mansfield.
A few of the notable things that come up, some of which are surprising:
Before 2020, State had never put together a report on Chinese power.
Confucius Institutes influence American universities to silence criticism of China; (this bribery is widespread in Europe, too.)
Nobody in China believes in Marxism; in some ways, honoring Confucius & teaching some aspects of Confucian thought is the new mode in which Chinese order maintains itself.
There’s no separating the Chinese & American economies; much less is any other large economy pulling out of China.
Chinese diplomacy has created great worry, even fear, around the world, & the pandemic has also increased resentment, & a general sentiment that China is a danger.
Former SecState Pompeo was unique, however, in claiming to orient American strategy against China. Both European allies & the Biden administration are far more reluctant.
The Chinese military is now a world power & getting better. If the Chinese military invaded Taiwan with conventional forces, the US would find it very difficult to prevent it; it’s not obvious that America would do anything.