Story · Brookings Institution
Will China Replace America on the World Stage?
In a Brookings podcast episode, historian Robert Kagan and hosts Ryan Hass and Jon Czin discuss the erosion of America's leading global role under the second Trump administration and what this means for China's ambitions. Kagan argues that China cannot run the world unless it can control its own region. The conversation examines the internal U.S. debate over global leadership, the potential fallout from the Iran war (including contested Strait of Hormuz and stronger Iran), and how Asian nations dependent on Persian Gulf oil may react if the U.S. is unwilling or unable to guarantee international waterways. The episode explores whether China is prepared or interested in playing a larger role as American leadership becomes less certain.
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