Technology has always been a force multiplier in geopolitics. But today, it’s much more than that. It’s a source of power, a trigger for conflict, and a key arena in the contest for global leadership. Nowhere is this clearer than in the intensifying rivalry between the US and China.

From tariffs to export controls, from AI regulations to investment screening, the two powers are locked in a battle, not just over who leads in technology, but over what technological leadership should look like. This contest is reshaping globalisation, redrawing alliances, and rewriting the rules of innovation.

But what exactly are the goals behind Washington’s strategy? How does Beijing see it? And what do these shifts mean for countries that find themselves caught in between?

On this episode of The Great Power Show, I speak with Ryan Fedasiuk, former Advisor for Bilateral Affairs at the U.S. Department of State’s China House and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Ryan brings a unique and thoughtful perspective to these questions, having worked at the intersection of technology and diplomacy.

We explore the evolving thinking in the US around technology competition…from Liberation Day to Geneva and London. We also look back at the policies adopted by the Biden administration, and unpack the logic behind industrial policy in both China and the US.

• Ryan’s Substack: Emerging Cracks in the China Tech Consensus

• CSET Report: Harnessed Lightning How the Chinese Military is Adopting Artificial Intelligence

As always, I hope you enjoy the conversation. Please like, share, and rate the episode. And if you’d like to support the show or the work I do, feel free to reach out.

About: The Great Power Show is a bi-weekly podcast featuring candid conversations and thought-provoking interviews with leading scholars, thinkers and practitioners on the geopolitical and geo-economic changes shaping our world.

In politics today, communication is power. It shapes public opinion, manages crises, drives diplomacy, and fuels ideological battles. The ability to craft, control, and circulate messages is central to how power works, and how it’s challenged.

The news media is right at the heart of this. Nowhere is that more evident than in India. The country’s media ecosystem is huge, and often chaotic. But beneath the noise, deeper shifts are underway. Journalism in India is being reshaped by changing political dynamics, new technologies, and a battle for trust.

On this episode of The Great Power Show, I speak with veteran journalist Sachin Kalbag about how Indian media is responding to these changes. Sachin has held top editorial positions across some of India’s biggest newsrooms. He’s also reported from Washington, D.C. as a foreign correspondent. So he brings a rare and wide-ranging perspective to this conversation.

We unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly trends in Indian journalism. We talk about the evolving relationships between journalists, politicians, and civil servants. We also look outward, at the global media landscape. Why is journalism no longer seen as neutral, anywhere in the world? And does a country like India need its own credible, globally visible media platforms?

As always, I hope you enjoy the conversation. Please like and share the episode, and take a moment to rate the podcast. And if you’d like to support the show or the work I do, feel free to reach out to me.

About: The Great Power Show is a bi-weekly podcast featuring candid conversations and thought-provoking interviews with leading scholars, thinkers and practitioners on the geopolitical and geo-economic changes shaping our world.

After a meeting between senior officials on the weekend on May 10th, China and the US have formally announced a 90-day truce in their trade war. Both sides have since drawn back some of the excessive tariffs that were imposed in early April. They’ve committed to establish a new mechanism for dialogue and keep talks going. The White House has called this a “historic deal”; Beijing has been much more cautious in its language. So where’s all this going?

On this episode of The Great Power Show, geopolitical analyst Yanmei Xie unpacks the essential aspects of Sino-US economic competition. She has previously worked with Gavekal Research, and as a journalist in Washington covering US national politics. Yanmei believes that decoupling between China and the US is an inevitable trend. She argues that Beijing believes that Washington is engaged in a strategy of “grand trade encirclement”; so decoupling will only intensify regardless of talks.

Beyond the US-China trade war, our conversation delves into how Xi Jinping’s policies are reshaping China’s economic development model. And what’s the model of China’s "venture capital state" which is directing strategic investment, building industrial ecosystems, and taking calculated risks to dominate future technologies.

Zooming out, we ask: Why is manufacturing back at the center of global strategy? Is it a product of a failure of imagination of future economies? Or is it simply about the realities of configuring national power in an age of geopolitical strife?

I hope you enjoy this conversation. Please make sure to like and share the episode. If you would like to support the show or the work I do, please do reach out to me.

About: The Great Power Show is a bi-weekly podcast featuring candid conversations and thought-provoking interviews with leading scholars, thinkers and practitioners on the geopolitical and geo-economic changes shaping our world.