China is using a renewed diplomatic push to expand its room for maneuver as global power shifts. Xi Jinping's visits to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Central Asia, and Egypt reflect an effort to strengthen alternative governance forums while working within institutions China has benefited from. For much of the Global South, however, the choice is not between Washington and Beijing but maintaining relationships with both.

That same "both-and" approach is emerging in technology. Chinese open-source AI models could gain traction across the Global South through lower costs, greater technological sovereignty, and established Chinese hardware and distribution networks. The result could be a more fragmented AI ecosystem in which Chinese technology becomes deeply embedded in local businesses and products.

Andrew Polk, Co-Founder of Trivium China, joins Eric to examine China's evolving global strategy, including Xi's diplomacy, the India-China thaw and BRICS, and the growing competition between Chinese and U.S. AI in the Global South.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

  • Xi Jinping's renewed diplomatic push and China's vision of a multipolar world
  • Why the Global South is hedging between China and the United States
  • BRICS, the SCO, and China's emerging alternative governance architecture
  • The India-China thaw and growing competition across the Indian Ocean
  • How Chinese AI could gain ground across Global South markets
  • China's evolving role in global trade, technology, and the international order

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