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This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

China vs America – Who will be the soft power superpower?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

Podmasters

News, Society & Culture, Politics

4.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 9 April 2026

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As America turns against the world, China is seeing more and more opportunities to grow. Its soft power influence is growing and cultural influence is blooming globally. How is this happening and what impact will it have? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, to discuss.  • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more.  • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this.  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Jamie Lang and Sophie Haboo have arrived on Disney Plus.

0:04.0

We're having a baby.

0:06.0

We're having a baby.

0:07.0

I've always wanted to be mom.

0:09.0

And we're bringing you on our journey through everything.

0:12.0

I have no idea what we're doing.

0:13.0

Thank you. I have more of an idea.

0:15.0

I think of it like a Tamagocchi.

0:17.0

At the end of all of this...

0:20.0

We're going to have a little baby.

0:21.6

Raising Chelsea, a Hulu original series streaming exclusively on Disney Plus.

0:26.6

18 plus subscription required T's and T supply.

0:33.6

Whatever noisy, diplomatic, military and economic battleground President Trump is fighting on right now,

0:40.4

is the big winner likely to be not so much to the United States, but China?

0:45.9

This month, for example, the Economist magazine has a very striking cover.

0:49.7

It shows the blurry face of an open-mouthed Donald Trump.

0:53.3

Behind him, smiling broadly, is a very much in-focused Chinese President Xi Jinping, framed

0:59.2

by a quote from Napoleon Bonaparte.

1:02.2

Never interrupt the enemy when he's making a mistake.

1:06.2

The obvious implication is that Trump's aggressive America first strategy alienates former friends and allies

1:11.6

to such an extent that it helps China's rise, as a much more predictable soft power superpower.

1:18.6

That would surely be the biggest geostrategic change of the 21st century.

...

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