Xi Jinping’s Military Gamble and a ”Critical Moment” for US-China Relations

What does the transformation of the PLA mean for China's global position and strategy?

On this episode of Talking Geopolitics, GPF Chairman George Friedman and GPF analyst and China expert Victoria Herczegh join host Christian Smith to discuss how Xi Jinping's supreme desire for loyalty impacts the PLA's effectiveness, the operational risks of rapid technological modernization without critical evaluation, and what's next for US-China relations as signals of de-escalation appear ahead of next month's summit. Also: Taiwan's symbolic role.

Episode recorded on August 18, 2026.

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