Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio.

I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

The pandemic has provided a grim reminder of disparities in health outcomes among different races and ethnic groups.

We examine the lessons learned in administering COVID care in hopes they can be applied when it's time to administer vaccines.

And the world has an ever-growing coffee addiction, most of all to the takeaway kind.

But all those plastic-lined cups are a blight on the environment.

We take a look at a clever new use for an otherwise wasted material that might solve the problem.

First up, though, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to name Anthony Blinken as his Secretary of State this week.

One of the things I've learned from doing this for 25 years is whether we like it or not, the world tends not to organize itself.

Mr. Blinken is an experienced foreign policy advisor who favors a multilateral approach

to international relations.

America at its best has a greater ability than any country to mobilize others for the greater

good.

One of his key priorities will be America's relationship with China, something he acknowledged

in September while campaigning for Mr. Biden.

China poses a growing challenge.

It's arguably the biggest challenge we face from another nation state, economically, technologically, militarily, even diplomatically.

Under Xi Jinping, China has grown ever more authoritarian, increasingly throwing its weight around on the world stage.

President Donald Trump has responded by initiating a destructive trade war, imposing tough measures on firms like Huawei

relating to national security,

and taking a combative tone

...