Ep 84 - Nobody knows where the line is, and that’s the problem

The US and China have been quietly testing each other’s limits all summer – and neither side actually knows where the breaking point is.

To discuss the nature – and limits – of the fragile US-China economic détente, we are joined this week by Evan Medeiros, the Penner Family Chair and Director of Asian Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

• Evan’s read: The US-China relationship is at an unstable equilibrium, and in for a snapback toward a much more contentious state of play.  

In this episode, host Andrew Polk and Trivium colleague Cory Combs sit down with Evan to unpack:

• Why Xi Jinping’s upcoming state visit to Washington, the first in over a decade, may be the one thing still holding the relationship together
• How the trade war became a supply chain war back in April 2025, and why tariffs aren’t the main event anymore
• Why China keeps reaching for chokepoints tied to US national security instead of hitting the broader economy, and what that reveals about Beijing’s actual theory of leverage
• The uncomfortable new front opening up: Beijing increasingly penalizing American companies for the crime of complying with US laws

It’s another great discussion, so enjoy!