This is John Batchel, a conversation with colleague Steve Yates of the Heritage Foundation

about China's trash-talking Europe and the United States as colonial masters now in the decline,

severe decline. They point to population decline. They point to an ability to project power here. Steve explains it's it's an odd

negotiating position. China comes forced as a as a victim of colonial masters and is now the

dominant flavor on the earth according to China. Steve explains much more of this later.

Well, they certainly play that narrative. They'll talk about the unequal treaties period. They'll talk

about the West generally on decline. A lot of people see that as primarily targeted at the United

States, but it definitely is also targeted at Europe as well. And a lot of

European leaders, when they come to East Asia, especially their visits to China, they're

emphasizing economic opportunity. They're not emphasizing the need to maintain balance. They're not

really emphasizing the need to maintain freedom of navigation on the high seas. And there's only one

non-status quo actor in that across the end of Pacific right now. So I think it's been a work

of progress, work in progress, but it's definitely been a part of the political warfare of the

People's Republic of China to suggest that Europe is on the decline even more so than America,

population not being replaced,

a significant change in demographics in each of these countries,

and also a degradation of the projection of power.