Podcasts about road initiative

What happens when governments can't fund infrastructure anymore? A $1.6 trillion private asset class that doesn't recognize itself in the mirror. In the 2020s, infrastructure has entered a battlefield where geopolitics, government agendas, and investor returns collide. We trace infrastructure's evolution from nation-building mechanism to one of the most integrated asset classes in modern investing. In this episode, we explore a central tension: is infrastructure still a stable, boring, income-generating asset, or has it become a bigger bet on which governments can actually execute their vision? Joined by Peter Blue of Franklin Templeton and Gautam Bhandari of I Squared, we dive into one of the oldest asset classes in human history.Guests:Peter Blue, CFA, CAIA, FRM, Head of Private Market Solutions, Franklin TempletonGautam Bhandari, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, I Squared CapitalEpisode Sources(00:00) Infrastructure as an invisible but essential backbone of daily life and economic activity.(01:24)Introduction to infrastructure as a paradox: ancient in practice, modern as an institutional asset class.(03:43) The projected $100 trillion global infrastructure investment need through 2040 and the funding gap.(06:06) Infrastructure allocations remain modest despite structural tailwinds and capital demand.(10:32) Infrastructure as both inanimate and “alive” through its system-wide economic impact.(12:04) Roman publicani as early private infrastructure investors and the blending of public and private capital.(16:24) Infrastructure historically used as a tool of statecraft, control, and regime stability.(20:35) The Gilded Age, robber barons, and the rise of private capital in U.S. infrastructure development.(24:50) Australia's superannuation system and privatization wave as the birthplace of institutional infrastructure investing.(27:52) Macquarie's listed infrastructure vehicles and the financialization of the asset class.(29:43) The contrast between Australia's GP-led model and Canada's direct “Canadian model.”(35:49) Post-GFC surge in infrastructure AUM and its appeal as a stable, inflation-linked asset class.(41:59) “Suffering from success”: record fundraising, rising valuations, and expanding risk profiles in the 2020s.(42:20) Redefining infrastructure through resiliency rather than rigid asset definitions.(46:17) Expansion into digital infrastructure, renewables, and social infrastructure beyond traditional core assets.(50:52) Data centers as the new “highways” of productivity and the complexities of underwriting digital infrastructure.(55:32) Energy transition investing and the scale of renewable and grid infrastructure needs.(57:43) Talent evolution and systems thinking as infrastructure becomes increasingly cross-disciplinary.(01:01:18) The re-politicization of infrastructure and its return as a strategic instrument of global power.(01:05:58) China's Belt and Road Initiative and infrastructure as influence diplomacy.(01:10:46) Local alignment, commercial contracts, and operating “below the radar” in politically sensitive environments 

Move over NATO, now there are even more acronym groups coming to challenge the “international rules-based order” that has been running and ruining this planet for half a century. As the BRICS+, SCO, NDB, ASEAN, and BRI emerge on the world scene, things are changing for the Globalists.With BRICS doubling the size of its membership group just in 2024, it is set to expand even further in the next decade as more and more countries slip through the grip of the Empire and escape to do business with sane and rational partners from their region of the world through the Belt & Road Initiative.—Video ChannelsWatch the video version of Macroaggressions:Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/Macroaggressions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MacroaggressionsPodcastBrighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/macroaggressions/—MACRO & Charlie Robinson LinksHypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwmsThe Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMmWebsite: www.Macroaggressions.ioMerch Store: https://macroaggressions.dashery.com/ Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast—Activist Post FamilySign up for the Activist Post Newsletter: https://activistpost.kit.com/emailsActivist Post: www.ActivistPost.comNatural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com —Support Our SponsorsGround Luxe Grounding Mats: https://GroundLuxe.com/MACROReplace Your Mortgage: www.WipeOutYourMortgageNow.comAnarchapulco: https://Anarchapulco.com/ | Promo Code: MACROC60 Power: https://go.ShopC60.com/PBGRT/KMKS9/ | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body: https://ChemicalFreeBody.com/macro/ | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & Silver: https://Macroaggressions.Gold/ | (800) 426-1836LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.comEMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com | Promo Code: MACROChristian Yordanov's Health Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com/macroAbove Phone: https://AbovePhone.com/macro/Van Man: https://VanMan.shop/?ref=MACRO | Promo Code: MACROThe Dollar Vigilante: https://DollarVigilante.spiffy.co/a/O3wCWenlXN/4471Nesa's Hemp: www.NesasHemp.com | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms: https://AugasonFarms.com/MACRO—

When the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) was launched in 2019, a big part of its mandate from Congress was to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative. That sentiment was a key theme on Capitol Hill late last year during the DFC's Congressional reauthorization, when lawmakers from both parties made urgent appeals for the agency to do more to challenge China in the Global South. Congress nearly tripled the DRC's budget from $60 billion to $205 billion to be used over the next five years. While that is a substantial increase, it's just a small fraction of what Chinese entities spend each year on BRI projects. Karthik Sankaran and Dan Ford, researchers at the Quincy Institute in Washington, D.C., join Eric to discuss why they contend it's a bad idea for the DFC to compete head-on with China, rather than focus on its original mandate to build market capacity in poorer nations.

There's been a lot of discussion in recent years about the financial health of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Critics contend the BRI became overstretched, bankrupting borrowers and straining creditors suffering from a weakening Chinese economy. Even the Chinese government sought to reframe the BRI with its "small yet beautiful" tagline to reflect a new era of purported austerity. And while all of that was certainly true when it comes to state-backed Chinese entities that used to be at the forefront of the BRI, new data from Griffith University in Australia and the Green Finance and Development Center at Fudan University reveals that Chinese private enterprises are now leading the way. Christoph Nedopil, director of the Griffith Asia Institute, joins Eric to review the 2025 BRI data and explain what led to a record year of BRI engagement around the world.

For Huang Xiaozhen, the future of artificial intelligence isn't about computing power or algorithmic scale, but about something far more ordinary: the quiet click of a light switch.在黄晓真看来，人工智能的未来并不取决于算力规模或算法复杂度，而在于更为日常、甚至平凡的场景——比如轻轻按下电灯开关的那一刻。As head of business-to-business operations at MiniMax Group Inc, a rising Chinese AI unicorn, Huang sees the current wave of innovation less as a technological leap than as a transition toward being ubiquitous.作为中国新晋人工智能独角兽企业MiniMax集团的B端业务负责人，黄晓真认为，当下这股创新浪潮与其说是一场技术飞跃，不如说是一次走向“无处不在”的转变。"As the technology iterates, AI will become like water, electricity or coal — the fundamental infrastructure of our existence," Huang said. "It will be everywhere in our lives and work."黄晓真表示：“随着技术不断迭代，人工智能将像水、电、煤一样，成为支撑我们生存与发展的基础性基础设施，它将无处不在，融入我们的生活与工作之中。”The vision widely shared by AI optimists has increasingly aligned with the nation's official policy.这一在人工智能乐观主义者中广泛流行的愿景，正日益与国家层面的官方政策形成高度契合。In its recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development, the Communist Party of China Central Committee called for "forward-looking plans" for future industries, urging exploration of diverse technology road maps, application scenarios, business models and regulatory frameworks.在关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划（2026—2030年）的建议中，中共中央提出要对未来产业进行“前瞻性布局”，并鼓励探索多样化的技术路线、应用场景、商业模式和监管框架。The document explicitly listed quantum technology, biomanufacturing, hydrogen and nuclear fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embodied artificial intelligence and 6G mobile communications as new drivers of growth.该文件明确将量子技术、生物制造、氢能与核聚变能源、脑机接口、具身人工智能以及6G移动通信等列为新的增长动能。The confidence of China's AI practitioners received a major boost in April 2025, when President Xi Jinping visited the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, one of the country's most active AI hubs.2025年4月，习近平主席考察上海大模型创新中心——这一全国最为活跃的人工智能集聚区之一，中国人工智能从业者的信心由此大幅提振。Standing among developers and entrepreneurs, Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, described artificial intelligence as "a young cause, and a cause for young people", encouraging them to align personal ambition with China's modernization drive.在开发者和创业者中间，习近平总书记将人工智能形容为“一项年轻的事业，也是一项属于年轻人的事业”，并鼓励大家将个人理想追求融入中国式现代化进程之中。According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China had more than 6,000 AI enterprises last year, while the scale of the country's core AI industry was expected to have exceeded 1.2 trillion yuan ($172.6 billion) in 2025.工业和信息化部数据显示，去年我国人工智能企业数量已超过6000家，2025年核心人工智能产业规模预计突破1.2万亿元人民币（约合1726亿美元）。The president's visit, combined with subsequent policy measures, has strengthened confidence among startups facing intense competition, according to executives working inside the ecosystem.多位业内高管表示，总书记的考察以及随后出台的一系列政策举措，显著增强了在激烈竞争环境中奋战的初创企业信心。Zhang Yun, a deputy general manager at the center, said the visit validated the pace and direction of the hub's development.该中心副总经理张云表示，此次考察充分肯定了创新中心的发展节奏和方向。"Nearly 75 percent of our workforce is under the age of 35," Zhang said. "We're seeing founders who are barely 30. As AI tools become more powerful, teams are getting smaller, younger and faster."张云说：“我们团队中近75%的员工年龄在35岁以下，一些创始人甚至刚满30岁。随着人工智能工具能力不断增强，团队正呈现出规模更小、成员更年轻、反应更迅速的趋势。”The center operates on what participants describe as a philosophy of proximity. "Upstairs and downstairs are upstream and downstream," Zhang said, referring to the close physical clustering of foundational model developers and application companies, which allows for rapid iteration and feedback.该中心运行秉持着参与者所称的“近距离协同”理念。张云解释说：“楼上楼下就是上下游”，基础模型研发团队与应用企业在物理空间上的高度集聚，使快速迭代和反馈成为可能。Yao Zhendi, CEO of Cyber Partner AI Co, said the youthfulness of the sector reflects the nature of the technological challenge itself."We're no longer doing 'one to 10' innovation, where you just improve something that already exists," Yao said.上海魂伴科技有限责任公司首席执行官姚振迪表示，该行业的年轻化正是技术挑战本身特性的体现。“我们不再是做‘一到十'的创新，只是在原有基础上改进。”他说。"We're doing 'zero to one'. There's no formula and no homework to copy. We're defining what this technology becomes."“我们做的是‘从零到一'。既没有公式可循，也没有作业可抄，而是在定义这项技术最终会成为什么。”He added that national planning documents emphasize not only AI, but the integration of embodied intelligence across industries, with a forward-looking approach to development.他补充指出，国家规划文件强调的不只是人工智能本身，还包括具身智能在各行业中的融合应用，并以前瞻性视角推动相关发展。Over the next five years, he said, AI is expected to penetrate daily life and a wide range of sectors in line with the 15th Five-Year Plan.他表示，未来五年，在“十五五”规划指引下，人工智能有望深入渗透日常生活和多个产业领域。His company is working on the convergence of the "brain", meaning large-scale models, and the "body", referring to embodied intelligence — a frontier where software meets robotics.其公司正致力于推动“脑”（即大模型）与“身体”（即具身智能）的融合，这一前沿领域正是软件与机器人技术的交汇点。Paradigm shift范式转变The national strategy outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan proposals calls for a paradigm shift in scientific research and a focus on self-reliance in breakthroughs in chips, algorithms and data.“十五五”规划建议所勾勒的国家战略，呼吁科研范式发生转变，并将重点放在芯片、算法和数据等关键领域的自主突破上。For Wang Le, CEO of Shanghai SiliconPear Technology Co, the transformation is already playing out on factory floors and toy shelves.对上海喜梨信息科技有限公司首席执行官王乐而言，这一转型已在工厂车间和玩具货架上悄然展开。Wang's company exports to more than 30 countries and uses AI to upgrade traditional manufacturing.王乐的公司产品出口至30多个国家，并通过人工智能技术推动传统制造业升级。"We're turning toys from simple manufactured goods into high-tech consumer products," Wang said."It's no longer just about branding. It's about embedding technology to upgrade the entire supply chain, which gives Chinese products a distinct global competitive edge."王乐表示：“我们正在把玩具从简单的制造品转变为高科技消费品。这已经不只是品牌问题，而是通过技术嵌入实现整个供应链的升级，从而赋予中国产品独特的全球竞争优势。”Xi's visit to the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center came after he presided over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, highlighting the need to promote the healthy and orderly development of AI in a beneficial, safe and fair direction.习近平考察上海大模型创新中心之前，曾主持中共中央政治局集体学习，强调要推动人工智能朝着有益、安全、公平方向健康有序发展。Huang, from MiniMax, said that companies across the AI value chain are directly feeling the impact of State support. From his perspective, policies aimed at supporting models and application scenarios are accelerating innovation and technical iteration across the industry.MiniMax的黄晓真表示，人工智能产业链各环节企业正切身感受到国家支持带来的影响。在他看来，围绕模型和应用场景的政策扶持，正在加速全行业的创新和技术迭代。"It's clear that more and more enterprises, scenarios and applications are moving toward AI," Huang said. "Many new startups are designing products and use cases based entirely on current AI capabilities. This looks more like a society-wide embrace of AI, and the growth of the entire industry chain is extremely fast."他说：“可以清楚地看到，越来越多的企业、场景和应用正在向人工智能靠拢。许多新创公司完全基于现有AI能力来设计产品和应用场景，这更像是一场全社会层面的AI拥抱，整个产业链的增长速度极其迅猛。”Zhou Chen, CEO of Zhejiang Dex-Robot Intelligent Technology, said Xi has explicitly called for accelerating the application of AI in technological innovation and industrial development, a signal that Zhou sees as materially beneficial for enterprises.浙江灵巧智能科技有限公司首席执行官周晨表示，习近平明确提出要加快人工智能在科技创新和产业发展中的应用，这一信号对企业而言具有实实在在的利好意义。He pointed to concrete policy measures such as subsidized computing power and pilot programs for new models. China launched a 60 billion yuan AI industry investment fund to support the development of the whole AI industrial chain.他指出，诸如算力补贴、新模型试点项目等具体政策措施正在落地实施。同时，中国还设立了规模达600亿元人民币的人工智能产业投资基金，用于支持整个AI产业链发展。"They allow companies to be bold and try things first," Zhou said."Ultimately, it helps improve human efficiency and reduce defect rates in manufacturing."周晨表示：“这些政策让企业可以大胆探索、先行先试，最终有助于提升人效、降低制造业缺陷率。”Zhou cited incentives including free or subsidized computing resources, early access to models, and funding for major research projects as mechanisms that encourage companies to experiment.周晨列举了多项激励机制，包括免费或补贴算力资源、提前接入模型以及重大科研项目资金支持，这些都有效鼓励企业开展探索性实践。He argued that China has structural advantages in pursuing such technologies: a complete industrial supply chain, a wide range of real-world application scenarios that generate data, and growing domestic computing capacity.他认为，中国在发展相关技术方面具备结构性优势，包括完备的产业链体系、能够持续产生数据的丰富现实应用场景，以及不断提升的本土算力能力。While much of the focus remains on domestic self-reliance, officials and researchers say China's AI ambitions also have an outward-facing dimension.尽管当前重点仍放在国内自主可控上，但多位官员和研究人员指出，中国的人工智能发展目标同样具有面向国际的外向维度。International public good国际公共产品Yan Weixin, chief scientist at the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, said Xi has called for AI to be developed as an international public good that benefits humanity.上海人工智能研究院首席科学家闫维新表示，习近平提出要将人工智能打造为造福全人类的国际公共产品。Yan said China has launched initiatives related to AI reinforcement learning and sustainable development, and has begun sharing algorithms and models with partner countries, including those participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.闫维新介绍称，中国已启动多项与人工智能强化学习和可持续发展相关的倡议，并开始与包括共建“一带一路”国家在内的合作伙伴共享算法和模型。These technologies are being applied to areas such as disaster warning systems and low-carbon industrial facilities overseas, he said.他说，这些技术已在海外被应用于灾害预警系统和低碳工业设施等领域。Highlighting the link between energy and computation, he said: "AI consumes energy, and energy defines computing power. In the future, there will be deep integration between new energy and dynamic computing."他强调能源与计算之间的关联指出：“人工智能消耗能源，而能源决定算力。未来，新能源与动态计算之间将实现深度融合。”Otto Heinrich Herzog, an academician of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering and a professor at Tongji University in Shanghai, said he has been struck by the speed with which policies translate into implementation in China.德国国家科学与工程院院士、同济大学教授奥托·海因里希·赫尔佐格表示，中国政策从制定到落地实施的速度给他留下了深刻印象。"When something aligns with strategy in China, it really gets implemented," Herzog said. "That's something you don't experience in the same way in Europe."赫尔佐格说：“在中国，只要一项举措符合国家战略，就会真正被执行落实。这是在欧洲难以同样体会到的。”forward-looking /ˌfɔːwəd ˈlʊkɪŋ/前瞻性的embodied artificial intelligence /ɪmˈbɒdid ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃəl ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/具身人工智能value chain /ˈvæljuː tʃeɪn/价值链pilot program /ˈpaɪlət ˈprəʊɡræm/试点项目dynamic computing /daɪˈnæmɪk kəmˈpjuːtɪŋ/动态计算

In today's episode, we take a deep dive into the latest stats on China's surging investments in the Belt-and-Road Initiative countries. Energy investment is up, but we learn that this was both the 'greenest and dirtiest' year for BRI investments ever. Even as China's oil demand stagnates, China's SOEs and construction companies are doing brisk business investing in oil and gas, even as CATL and Jinko Solar find deals and opportunities in Latin America and Africa. Our guest, Christoph Nedopil-Wang, is the director of the Griffith Asia Institute and Professor of Economics. Christoph engages in research related to sustainable finance and business in Asia and the Pacific, and he is particularly interested in the role of China in Asia's sustainable development with extensive engagement in green finance, green energy transition, green metals, climate smart state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).  He has numerous publications related to the topic of China's overseas finance and green finance in general, and in particular he is the lead author of the China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Investment Report 2025, published by the Griffith Asia Institute in early January 2026, in collaboration with the Green Finance & Development Center (GFDC) of the Fanhai International School of Finance (FISF), in Fudan, China. [Editorial note: a young family member can occasionally be heard in the background.] Questions we address are: Is surging investment a surprise? And why is this happening just as China's domestic economy slows? Why is oil and gas investment surging when domestic demand is so soft? Is Chinese investment in minerals and minerals processing mainly a "scramble for resources" or is it a development opportunity for the recipient countries? Is Africa's growth of 300% a signficant trend change that could continue?  Deal size is up. What ever happened to "small is beautiful"? Expectations for 2026   Further reading: China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Investment Report 2025 https://blogs.griffith.edu.au/asiainsights/china-belt-and-road-initiative-bri-investment-report-2025-2/  

China's national immigration authorities significantly enhanced their service efficiency in 2025, processing a record 697 million border crossings, a 14.2 percent increase from the previous year.2025年，中国国家出入境管理机关大幅提升服务效率，处理出入境人次达6.97亿次，创历史新高，较上年增长14.2%。According to data announced by the National Immigration Administration on Wednesday, foreign nationals accounted for more than 82 million crossings, a year-on-year rise of 26 percent. Notably, over 30 million foreign nationals entered China visa-free, almost 50 percent more than last year, making up 73 percent of all foreign entries.根据国家移民管理局周三公布的数据，外国公民跨境入境超过8200万人次，同比增长26%。值得注意的是，逾3000万外国公民免签入境中国，较去年增长近50%，占外国入境总量的73%。Residents from the Chinese mainland made 335 million crossings, up 15 percent, while those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan made nearly 280 million crossings, up 10 percent compared with 2024.来自中国大陆的居民跨境往来达3.35亿人次，同比增长15%；来自香港、澳门和台湾地区的居民跨境往来近2.8亿人次，较2024年增长10%。Lyu Ning, the administration's spokeswoman, noted that the immigration sector has advanced policy reform and innovation, implementing targeted measures to underpin high-quality development and inject new impetus into the national economy.国家移民管理局新闻发言人吕宁指出，国家移民管理局推进政策创新改革，实施精准举措，为高质量发展提供支撑，为国民经济注入新动力。To facilitate exchanges, authorities expanded the pilot program for online travel document applications for mainland residents to 50 cities, with 457,000 successful online applications recorded.为促进交流，国家移民管理局将内地居民网上申请旅行证件的试点计划扩大至50个城市，共录得45.7万宗成功网上申请。Additionally, Indonesia was added to the list of countries eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, and five more ports in Guangdong province were designated for the policy, bringing the national total to 65.此外，印度尼西亚被纳入240小时免签过境政策适用国家名单，广东省新增5个口岸实施该政策，使全国实施该政策的口岸总数达到65个。Visa-free entry for tourist groups from Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries to Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province was also launched. In coordination with relevant departments, the administration increased the count of China's unilateral visa-free countries to 48 and mutual visa exemption countries to 29, bringing the total number of countries granting unilateral visa-free access to China to 28.同时，对东盟成员国旅游团赴云南省西双版纳傣族自治州实施免签政策。经协调相关部门，中国单方面免签国家增至48个，互免签证国家增至29个，对华实施单方面免签的国家总数达到28个。Lyu noted that while ensuring efficient cross-border travel, these initiatives have fueled the boom in "Travel in China" and "Shop in China" campaigns, elevating China's image as an open, inclusive and dynamic country.吕宁指出，这些举措在保障跨境出行高效顺畅的同时，也推动了“中国游”和“中国购”活动的蓬勃发展，提升了中国作为开放包容、充满活力的国家形象。Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that the expanded visa-free policies and optimized tax refund measures have further boosted these campaigns, with sales of tax-refundable goods nearly doubling.商务部数据显示，扩大的免签政策和优化的退税措施进一步推动了上述活动，退税商品销售额几乎翻了一番。Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, pointed out that China's tourism industry has become more open and inclusive over the past year and over the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, making important contributions to the prosperity of the global tourism sector.中国旅游研究院院长戴斌指出，过去一年及“十四五”期间，中国旅游业更加开放包容，为全球旅游业繁荣发展作出重要贡献。China's high-level opening-up policies, covering visas, immigration, port access, tax refunds and payment facilitation, have significantly improved entry convenience for international travelers.中国实施的高水平开放政策，涵盖签证、入境、港口准入、退税及支付便利化等领域，显著提升了国际旅客入境的便利性。He described 2025 as a landmark year for China's institutional opening-up in tourism. China is now a global leader in tourism exchanges with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia, West Asia, Africa, and Latin America, while tourism exchanges with Europe have almost returned to the 2019 levels, he said.戴斌将2025年称为中国旅游业制度性开放的里程碑之年。他表示，中国目前已成为与东南亚、西亚、非洲和拉丁美洲等“一带一路”沿线国家旅游交流的全球领头羊，而与欧洲的旅游交流已基本恢复到2019年水平。Looking ahead to 2026 and the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Dai emphasized that China is poised to play a bigger role in global tourism development.展望2026年及第十五个五年规划（2026-2030年）期间，戴斌强调中国将在全球旅游业发展中发挥更重要的作用。The National Immigration Administration said it will continue to expand and deepen high-level opening-up to the outside world, optimize immigration policies and respond to public demands, with a view to boosting economic and social development through continuous reform and innovation.国家移民管理局表示，将持续扩大深化高水平对外开放，优化移民政策，回应公众诉求，通过持续改革创新推动经济社会发展。

This episode features a discussion on current research into China's Belt and Road initiative, particularly as it relates to the Global South. Jewellord T. Nem Singh is a Principal Research Fellow in Global Political Economy at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex. He is the author of Business of the State: Why State Ownership Matters for Resource Governance (Oxford University Press, 2024). Linda Tjia Yin-nor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs at City University of Hong Kong. Her research interests focus on China's domestic railway and logistics development, as well as the political economy of China's overseas foreign aid and industrial projects in Central and Southeast Asia. She is the author of the book Explaining China's Railway Reform: A Train of Property Rights Re-arrangements, published by Routledge in 2015. Angela Tritto is an Honorary Fellow at the University College of London, European & International Social & Political Studies Centre. She was formerly with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where her research focused on examining China's Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia and beyond. Her publications analyze the role of public, private, and third-sector organizations in affecting development outcomes and sustainability. Finally, Guanie Lim is Assistant Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan. His main research interests are comparative political economy, value chain analysis, and the Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia. Guanie is also interested in broader development issues within Asia, especially those of China, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Along with several other colleagues, these four guests recently produced a special issue of the journal Competition & Change, entitled “China's Quest for Soft Power and the Rebirth of National Strategies in the Belt and Road Initiative.” The issue explores the current state of the BRI, resisting master narratives of the policy to show the diverse, complicated, contextual ways host states strategically engage with China's global influence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 'How to Share', hosts Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson engage with author Marc Ross about his latest geopolitical thriller, 'Attacking the Dragon'. The conversation delves into the book's plot, which revolves around China's Belt and Road Initiative, and how Ross's background as a lawyer influenced his writing. They explore the complexities of Chinese politics, character development, and the nuances of storytelling, as well as Ross's personal journey from law to fiction writing.Takeaways:Marc Ross's book 'Attacking the Dragon' explores China's geopolitical landscape.The Belt and Road Initiative is a significant yet under-discussed topic.Ross aims to portray China as a victim rather than an aggressor in his narrative.His legal background provides a unique perspective on the thriller genre.Character names in Chinese culture are complex but manageable for storytelling.Ross's writing journey reflects a long-held dream to become an author.He emphasizes the importance of creating unique protagonists in thrillers.The art of storytelling involves engaging readers through vivid descriptions.Ross enjoys the process of writing and values reader feedback. His experiences as a lawyer enrich his fictional narratives.Links for this Episode:Sharing the Heart of the Matter HomeA. Marc Ross's website: ⁠https://www.amarcross.com/index.html⁠Attacking the Dragon on ⁠Barnes & Noble⁠ and ⁠Amazon⁠From the hosts:Vicki's book about resilience and love: ⁠Surviving Sue⁠; Blog: ⁠https://victoriaponders.com/⁠My book about my beloved father: ⁠Finding My Father's Faith

Chinese courts have been urged to improve their adjudication over foreign-related cases by emphasizing fairness, impartiality, accessibility, efficiency and a people-centered approach, in a bid to strengthen judicial support for China's high-level opening-up.中国法院被要求在审理涉外案件时更加注重公平、公正、便民、高效和以人民为中心的理念，以进一步强化司法对中国高水平对外开放的支撑作用。The directive was issued by the Supreme People's Court, the country's top court, at a meeting on Monday. It coincided with the release of data showing that Chinese courts handled about 40,000 first-instance civil and commercial cases involving foreign elements in 2025, nearly 50 percent more than the previous year.该指示由国家最高审判机关——最高人民法院在周一举行的一次会议上发布。与此同时公布的数据显示，2025年中国法院共受理约4万件涉外一审民商事案件，同比增加近50%。As the number of foreign-related cases rises and legal demands grow more complex, the top court called on judges nationwide to uphold the principle of equal protection for both domestic and foreign litigants and to actively integrate mediation into litigation.随着涉外案件数量不断增加、法律需求日益复杂，最高法要求全国法官坚持对中外当事人一视同仁的平等保护原则，并积极推动调解与诉讼的有机衔接。"Courts across the country should resolve disputes involving intellectual property, foreign trade and investment, cross-border finance, as well as maritime and commercial matters in a fair and efficient manner, and work to make China a preferred venue for international IP, commercial and maritime dispute resolution," it said.最高法指出，全国法院应当以公平、高效的方式审理涉及知识产权、对外贸易与投资、跨境金融以及海事和商事领域的纠纷，努力将中国打造为国际知识产权、商事和海事争端解决的优选地。The SPC also urged deeper theoretical and practical exchanges with judicial institutions of countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting the need to fulfill treaty obligations, adhere to the principles of equality and reciprocity, and lawfully recognize and enforce foreign civil and commercial judgments and arbitral awards.最高法还呼吁加强与共建“一带一路”国家司法机构在理论与实践层面的交流，强调应当履行条约义务，坚持平等互惠原则，依法承认和执行外国民商事判决及仲裁裁决。"Providing lawful support for foreign judicial assistance requests reflects our confidence in the rule of law," it said.最高法表示，依法支持外国司法协助请求，体现了中国对法治的自信。The top court further emphasized the need to align more closely with high-standard international economic and trade rules as part of institutional opening-up.最高法进一步强调，应作为制度型开放的重要内容，更加主动对接高标准国际经贸规则。It also called for stronger legal research on new issues arising from island-wide special customs operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port, and urged judges to better integrate litigation with mediation and arbitration.此外，最高法要求加强对海南自由贸易港全岛封关运作中出现的新情况、新问题的法律研究，并督促法官更好实现诉讼与调解、仲裁的衔接融合。Data released on Monday showed that IP contract disputes rose by 30.4 percent in 2025, while cases involving IP ownership and infringement increased by 3.7 percent. "These figures demonstrate China's strong innovation momentum and reflect growing demand for high-quality judicial services," the court said.周一发布的数据显示，2025年知识产权合同纠纷同比增长30.4%，涉及知识产权权属和侵权的案件增长3.7%。最高法表示，这些数据彰显了中国强劲的创新动能，也反映出社会对高质量司法服务需求的持续上升。The SPC urged courts nationwide to adopt tougher measures, including the use of punitive damages, to clamp down on IP violations. The court also called for judicial research in emerging fields such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence to better address new legal challenges.最高法要求全国法院采取包括适用惩罚性赔偿在内的更严厉措施，严厉打击知识产权侵权行为，同时加强对数字经济、人工智能等新兴领域的司法研究，以更好应对新型法律挑战。In addition, Chinese courts were instructed to intensify efforts against acts that disrupt market order and infringe on trade secrets, with the aim of ensuring fair competition and promoting high-quality economic development.此外，中国法院被要求加大对扰乱市场秩序、侵犯商业秘密等行为的打击力度，以保障公平竞争，推动经济高质量发展。Criminal cases involving disruption of the socialist market economy order increased by 2.2 percent in 2025, while civil disputes related to unfair competition, including trade secret infringements and bid-rigging, rose by 10.6 percent, underscoring ongoing challenges in maintaining a fair and competitive market environment.数据显示，2025年涉及破坏社会主义市场经济秩序的刑事案件同比增长2.2%，而包括侵犯商业秘密、串通投标在内的不正当竞争民事纠纷增长10.6%，凸显出维护公平、有序市场环境仍面临持续挑战。foreign-related cases /ˈfɒrɪn rɪˈleɪtɪd ˈkeɪsɪz/涉外案件adjudication /əˌdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃn/审理；裁决mediation /ˌmiːdiˈeɪʃn/调解arbitral awards /ˈɑːbɪtrəl əˈwɔːdz/仲裁裁决institutional opening-up /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənl ˈəʊpənɪŋ ʌp/制度型开放punitive damages /ˈpjuːnɪtɪv ˈdæmɪdʒɪz/惩罚性赔偿

China has been on a generational run since it was granted admission to the World Trade Organization at the beginning of the century. Though its infrastructure investments ran in the trillions of dollars, the Chinese GDP increased 10% every year for 15 years, all while producing 1,600 high-rises, 45,000 kilometers of high-speed rail, and hundreds of airports.The contrast with America is stark. Roads, ports, rail, and airports inside the United States are all falling apart, with the bloated, $128 billion, high-speed train to nowhere stalling out in California. Meanwhile, China has evolved into maglev trains and thorium-powered cargo ships for the new Belt and Road Initiative.—Watch the video version on one of the Macroaggressions Channels:Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/Macroaggressions YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MacroaggressionsPodcast—MACRO & Charlie Robinson LinksHypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwmsThe Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMmWebsite: www.Macroaggressions.io Merch Store: https://macroaggressions.dashery.com/ Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast—Activist Post FamilySign up for the Activist Post Newsletter: https://activistpost.kit.com/emailsActivist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com —Support Our SponsorsAnarchapulco: https://anarchapulco.com/ | Promo Code: MACROC60 Power: https://go.shopc60.com/PBGRT/KMKS9/ | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body: https://chemicalfreebody.com/macro/ | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & Silver: https://macroaggressions.gold/ | (800) 426-1836LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com | Promo Code: MACROGround Luxe Grounding Mats: https://groundluxe.com/MACRO Christian Yordanov's Health Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com/macro Above Phone: https://abovephone.com/macro/Van Man: https://vanman.shop/?ref=MACRO | Promo Code: MACROThe Dollar Vigilante: https://dollarvigilante.spiffy.co/a/O3wCWenlXN/4471 Nesa's Hemp: www.NesasHemp.com | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms: https://augasonfarms.com/MACRO —

Darrell Castle talks about Iran today and exploring the possibilities for changing the regime there from one run by Islamic fundamentalists to one run by the ex-Shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi. Transcription / Notes REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 16th day of January in the year of our Lord 2026. I will be talking about Iran today and exploring the possibilities for changing the regime there from one run by Islamic fundamentalists to one run by the ex-Shah's son Reza Pahlavi. What does the US want in Iran and what is it willing to do to have it. Yes, it seems that revolution is in the air once again in Iran but this time it seems to be different. Every few years people grow weary of the Ayatollah's strict laws, its moral police, etc. and they take to the streets to protest. This time it seems to be different for several reasons. The protests are much more massive and widespread this time and the people are showing great courage because the last report I saw showed more than 2500 dead and 10,000 arrested so not just protests but war in the streets it seems. The Iranians don't waste much time on niceties such as a fair trial either because they arrest a protester one day and publicly hang him the next as a warning to others. Another reason why this time might be different is that the US President is clearly fully supporting the protesters with his words and promises of military action. The primary reason, however, is that this time there are real reasons other that the resistance to fundamentalist Islam. The last large-scale protests happened when a young woman was arrested by the moral police and she ended up raped and murdered in their custody. The regime is apparently then made up of very bad people and that is always involved in the unrest. This time, in addition, there is a critical, life threatening nationwide water shortage caused or at least made worse by the regime's misuse of water facilities, reservoirs, etc. The water shortage is so bad that the capital city of Tehran is threatened with water rationing. For a city of 9 million that would be catastrophic. The final straw in this round of unrest has been the skyrocketing inflation and destruction of the purchasing power of the Iranian rial. The rial has been devalued so much that Iranian reports now express inflation in terms of dollars. It has lost 60% of its value since last June. So, the regime is bad and the people are courageous. Hundreds killed and thousands arrested which for many is the same thing. The US, through its chief executive, threatens to “hit them very hard.” The US currently has about 2000 troops next door in Iraq and all US bases in the region are on high alert. The US Central Command and certain regional partners have opened a new Middle East Air and Missile Defense command center at the US airbase in Qatar. Reports yesterday said that US troops are now being evacuated in expectation of an Iranian attack. If you have any doubt about whether the US considers itself to be responsible for policing the world and making it right in the US President's eyes those doubts should be erased. When one country has regime change fostered on it quite often it makes a lot of other countries mad and this situation is no different. The US announced a 25% tariff on countries that do business with Iran and that has made the Chinese very angry, Iran is a key part of China's multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative and they desperately want the Mullahs to stay in power. So, the US is, in its own eyes, the policeman of the world. The Iranians seem genuinely disturbed this time unlike all the other times. Their repressive tactics don't seem to be working as well this time. I guess all the Mossad and CIA agents on the ground in Iran encourage the people to carry on. Reports coming out of Iran are that many in the regime want to talk diplomatically with the US this time to avoid a US attack. Talks were scheduled but when Trump heard that people were being killed and hanged he canceled the talks. My opinion is that the regime wanted talks not to diplomatically agree to reforms but to preserve their power. The other problem with talks is that if the US held talks and agreed for the regime to stay in power with US blessing then the US administration would lose its standing. Right now, the people protesting, undoubtedly with Mossad and CIA encouragement, are literally dying and risking their lives to bring about the downfall of the Ayatollah's rule and they expect the US to refrain from diplomatically supporting it. We now have about four decades of diplomatic efforts with Iran without any noticeable results except to make the situation worse so I suppose talking to them and sending them money is pointless. It makes sense to me to stop business and encourage our allies to stop business with a regime that commits such human rights abuses as long as it's universally applied. That's the problem though isn't it. The concept of isolating human rights abusers is not universally applied and everyone knows it including the Iranians. It's hard to stay on the moral high road under such circumstances. Iran, ever the implacable adversary, as usual is talking tough. Would a sensible leader threaten war with an adversary many times stronger when that leader has what appears to be a weakened or destroyed armed forces. The Ayatollah is doing just that but I don't think he is insane, no, he is living out the Islamic book as he perceives it. It tells him seek death instead of life and wash the cities of the world with blood and constant war until the 12th Imman, the Mahdi comes and makes the world into what the books tells him it should be and will be. Rather than insanity he really does literally believe the words in the Islamic Holy Book written almost 1400 years ago. Western leaders don't understand that because they believe nothing. Religion, whether Christianity or anything else is just a ruse they use to get elected. They really believe nothing and worship only the god of power to which they are utterly addicted. This man, the Ayatollah, the unbending foe is different. He will pretend to negotiate for a better deal but when his gullible adversaries in the West deliver he will not comply because he believes the words in that book and nothing else matters to him. He warns the US, through his foreign minister, that he is ready for war if Washington wants to test it. I'm sure he is ready and he apparently doesn't mind how much his people suffer. Why doesn't he get them some food and especially water. I guess it's because he doesn't know how and besides the book doesn't tell him to do that. Why won't he make a deal with the great Satan for water technology and resources, well the answer to that question is obvious by the name of his adversary. The foreign minister said if the US wants war like it did before, Iran is ready for it but he hopes the US will choose the wise diplomatic option. The other way leads to criminal war like the abduction of Nichalos Maduro did. He hopes the US will negotiate rather than make war for Israel's interests. There is a man here in the US who has been very vocal in support of the protestors on social media. That man is Reza Pahlavi, the son of former Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who has been living in exile in the US since the ouster from power of the Shah in 1979 Islamic Revolution. He has been very active with international media appearances as well as social media and the other day he met with Trump's chief Middle East negotiator, Steve Wittkof. Some of the demonstrators in Tehran shout long live the Shah. My guess is that they are too young to remember what life was really like under the Shah. Pahlavi, to my knowledge, has not stated his true intentions with respect to Iran but he is scheduled to travel to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump as well as to deliver a speech at the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast. Very interesting indeed because that makes me think of the real reason for all this. Who are the American politicians who favor the interests of a foreign country over that of the American people. Just about all of them it seems. Last Tuesday, the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said there is no room in his party for those who do not support regime change wars. He said all should be in on overthrowing the Iranian government allegedly on Israel's behalf. There are many polls which show the Ambassador is dead wrong (no pun intended) about that. Polls show that far more Americans support my position of come home and mind your own business rather than the Ambassador's position of fighting for greater Israel in the Middle East. Did Trump commit an act of war against Iran when he sent stealth bombers a few weeks ago. The real question is not was the attack an act of war but was the attack at the bequest of a foreign leader and if so will that same leader request or demand another attack on Iran this time. My conclusion is that yes, he will do it despite the undeniable fact that the American people are sick of foreign wars that have nothing to do with them but are beneficial to foreign nations and their leaders. Meanwhile, in Iran the regime has shut down the internet across the country in an effort to prevent people from organizing meetings and protests. Elon Musk has provided his Starlink system and anyone in Iran can access it without charge he says. There are rumors that the Chinese have provided technology to Iran to disable Starlink. Anytime it is so obvious that an entire people group is not free it causes anger and outrage here in America. In response the Iranians have threatened to assassinate President Trump pledging that “this time we will not miss.” Well, a regime that murders and hangs its own people and which is mired in a water crises and inflation might want to consider a more low-key approach especially when that regime's past performance against the US air force is considered. For now the ISW reports that protests have been suppressed by security forces but could erupt again at any time so we will see. Finally, folks, to close this Castle Report here is an interesting quote from Paul Craig Roberts. “The United States is a strange place. Americans pledge their allegiance to the United States of America, but their government pledges allegiance to Israel. President Trump parades around as if he is master of the world, but he is not even master of his own country.” At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

Focus on Africa's Charles Gitonga joined The Global Story podcast hosts Asma Khalid and Tristan Redman to explain why the United States, Russia and China are so interested in Africa. The US recently moved to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a major trade deal allowing many African countries to export goods to the American market tariff-free, while also tying promises to end the conflict in eastern DR Congo to access rare earth minerals. China sees Africa as a key part of its Belt and Road Initiative, investing heavily in infrastructure across the continent. Meanwhile, Russia has positioned itself as an alternative partner to the Central African Republic and Sahel countries, particularly in security and military cooperation.Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Hannah Moore Senior Producer: Blessing Aderogba Technical Producers: Terry Chege and Philip Bull Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

Shaun sets the record straight on boys and girls. PLUS, Shaun talks to Todd Sheets, author of 2008: What Really Happened - Understanding the Great Financial Crisis, about Trump destroying China's Belt and Road Initiative by taking control of Venezuela, socialism coming soon to a Democrat city near you, and the economic successes of Trump's first year. And RFD-TV's Scott 'The Cow Guy' Shellady, tells Shaun gold and silver are on a roll, describes how Democrats have hijacked the affordability issue (even though they caused it), and the importance of getting back to banking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Links: VPP Cardinal ZenEast Turkistan Government in Exile Learn More & Support: Vulnerable People Project (VPP): vulnerablepeopleproject.comJason's Substack: thejasonjonesshow.substack.comInstagram: @thevulnerablepeopleprojectX (Twitter): @Vulnerable_VPP Keywords:Uyghur genocide, East Turkestan, CCP influence, global response, Belt and Road Initiative, international awareness, vulnerable communities, geopolitical landscape, Jason Jones Show, Salih Hudayar  Takeaways: The Uyghur genocide remains ongoing with no signs of stopping.China's Belt and Road Initiative is heavily reliant on East Turkestan.International awareness and response are crucial to counter CCP influence.The CCP's control extends to various global sectors, including media and politics.Salih Hudayar emphasizes the need for a united global effort against the CCP.The CCP's demographic challenges include a declining population and gender imbalance.China's neocolonial efforts are evident in its global infrastructure projects.The CCP's influence campaigns aim to shape international narratives.Jason Jones advocates for breaking the Vatican-CCP deal to mobilize Catholics.The episode calls for a collective effort to challenge the CCP's oppressive regime. Chapters: Introduction and New Year GreetingsThe Genesis of The Jason Jones ShowSalih Hudayar's Insights on East TurkestanGlobal Implications of the Uyghur GenocideThe CCP's Global Influence and StrategyCall to Action and Global Unity

China has pledged to build a robust domestic market to bolster its economy and counter external challenges, as it set out priorities for next year's economic policy at the two-day annual Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded on Thursday.Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a speech at the conference.In his speech, Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed economic progress in 2025, analyzed the current economic situation, and laid out priorities for economic work in the next year.By setting a clear agenda for 2026, the Central Economic Work Conference aims to navigate China through its economic challenges while seizing opportunities for high-quality growth.While highlighting the need to continue to expand domestic demand, the conference urged efforts to advance the construction of a unified national market in greater depth and develop new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions to promote "effective qualitative improvement" and "reasonable quantitative growth" in the country's economy.A statement released after the meeting said that, to achieve better performance in economic work under the new circumstances, "we must strengthen our capabilities to cope with external challenges", highlighting the importance of enhancing policy support as well as promoting reform and innovation.Acknowledging that numerous long-standing issues and new challenges still remain in the country's economic development, the conference noted the growing impact of changes in the external environment on the country's economic growth, the prominent contradiction of strong supply and weak demand in the domestic market, and risks and hidden dangers in key areas.Most of the problems are coupled with development and transformation, and can be resolved through efforts, the statement said, adding that the supporting conditions and fundamental trend of long-term, positive economic growth in China remain unchanged.Setting the tone for next year's economic work, the conference emphasized the need to adhere to the overarching principle of "seeking progress while maintaining stability", and better coordinate domestic economic work and endeavors in the international economic and trade arena, as well as development and security.It is important to fully align incremental policies with existing ones, and strengthen countercyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments to effectively enhance the efficiency of macroeconomic governance, the statement said.The nation will continue exerting a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately accommodative monetary policy next year, the statement said, adding that when formulating monetary policy, both promoting stable economic growth and allowing a reasonable rise in prices are important aspects that should be taken into consideration.It is essential to flexibly and efficiently use various policy tools such as reserve requirement ratio cuts and interest rate cuts to maintain ample liquidity, and guide financial institutions to strengthen support for expanding domestic demand, technological innovation, and small and medium-sized enterprises, the statement said.China will maintain the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level, it added.As one of the priorities for next year's economic agenda, China plans to boost its domestic market by implementing a consumption enhancement campaign and urban-rural income growth plans, optimizing consumption policies, removing unreasonable restrictions hindering consumption, and stimulating service consumption potential, according to the statement. Investment will be stabilized with measures such as an increase in central budget investment, effective use of local government bonds and high-quality urban renewal.The conference underlined the need to promote innovation-driven growth to enhance the fresh growth drivers for the country's economy. Major international science and technology innovation centers will be established in Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.The country will also work to improve systems of intellectual property protection in emerging areas, roll out an action plan to promote the service sector, and launch a new round of a campaign to bolster the high-quality development of the industrial chain in key sectors, the statement said.The conference outlined plans for comprehensive reforms to enhance market vitality, including efforts to advance the construction of a unified national market, address rat-race competition, reform State-owned enterprises, and promote development of the private economy. Efforts to tackle issues such as overdue payments to enterprises and deepen the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market were also highlighted.It is important to fully align incremental policies with existing ones, and strengthen countercyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments to effectively enhance the efficiency of macroeconomic governance, the statement said.The nation will continue exerting a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately accommodative monetary policy next year, the statement said, adding that when formulating monetary policy, both promoting stable economic growth and allowing a reasonable rise in prices are important aspects that should be taken into consideration.It is essential to flexibly and efficiently use various policy tools such as reserve requirement ratio cuts and interest rate cuts to maintain ample liquidity, and guide financial institutions to strengthen support for expanding domestic demand, technological innovation, and small and medium-sized enterprises, the statement said.China will maintain the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level, it added.As one of the priorities for next year's economic agenda, China plans to boost its domestic market by implementing a consumption enhancement campaign and urban-rural income growth plans, optimizing consumption policies, removing unreasonable restrictions hindering consumption, and stimulating service consumption potential, according to the statement. Investment will be stabilized with measures such as an increase in central budget investment, effective use of local government bonds and high-quality urban renewal.The conference underlined the need to promote innovation-driven growth to enhance the fresh growth drivers for the country's economy. Major international science and technology innovation centers will be established in Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.The country will also work to improve systems of intellectual property protection in emerging areas, roll out an action plan to promote the service sector, and launch a new round of a campaign to bolster the high-quality development of the industrial chain in key sectors, the statement said.The conference outlined plans for comprehensive reforms to enhance market vitality, including efforts to advance the construction of a unified national market, address rat-race competition, reform State-owned enterprises, and promote development of the private economy. Efforts to tackle issues such as overdue payments to enterprises and deepen the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market were also highlighted.China will continue to expand opening-up to advance win-win cooperation across multiple fields, with a focus on advancing institutional opening-up and expanding openness in the service sector, the statement said.The development of free-trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port will be prioritized, along with efforts to boost digital and green trade, promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and facilitate the negotiation and signing of more regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements, it said.The conference also emphasized the importance of promoting urban-rural integration and coordinated development across various regions, bolstering green transformation on all fronts and enhancing people's well-being.While underscoring the need to bear in mind the worst-case scenarios and proactively and prudently defuse risks in key areas, the conference highlighted a cautious approach to managing risks in the real estate sector and local government debt. Measures will be taken to stabilize the housing market and build a new development pattern for the real estate sector, the statement said.

In an era of shifting global economic alliances, few countries find themselves more strategically positioned than Colombia. Caught between the massive state-backed investment initiatives of China and the established political and economic influence of the United States, Bogotá's policy decisions have never held higher stakes for investors, the region, or especially, the country's own citizens.At the 2025 Colombia Gold Summit, Finance Colombia Executive Editor Loren Moss spoke with Daniel Giraldo, a Managing Director at FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN), a global business advisory firm specializing in cross-border investment and corporate finance. Giraldo offered his perspective on the geopolitical chessboard, examining what Colombia's recent decision to join the Belt and Road Initiative means for its future relationship with its largest long-standing ally, the United States.Read the article at: https://www.financecolombia.com/daniel-giraldo-of-fti-consulting-unpacks-the-significance-of-colombia-joining-chinas-belt-road-initiative/ Read more at Finance Colombia: https://www.financecolombia.com/ Subscribe to Finance Colombia for free: https://www.fcsubscribe.com/ More about Loren Moss: https://lorenmoss.com/writeContact us: https://unidodigital.media/contact-unido-digital-llc/Read more at Finance Colombia: https://www.financecolombia.com/ Subscribe to Finance Colombia for free: https://www.fcsubscribe.com/ Read more at Cognitive Business News: https://cognitivebusiness.news/ The place for bilingual talent! https://empleobilingue.com/ More about Loren Moss: https://lorenmoss.com/write Contact us: https://unidodigital.media/contact-unido-digital-llc/

In today's world, anyone serious about anti-imperialism, global development, and monetary sovereignty needs to break through the well-funded US propaganda machine and develop a fact-based, nuanced understanding of China. To this end, Steve asked Yan Liang to come back to the podcast to look at China through the MMT lens, analyzing its economic management, global role, and response to Western villainization. They discuss China's development ethos and describe China as a state that actively uses its monetary and fiscal sovereignty to guide development towards internal goals (poverty alleviation, technological self-reliance, common prosperity) and external partnership (Win-win cooperation, Belt and Road Initiative). Illustrating the difference between state steering and the so-called “free market,” the conversation goes into China's mobilization of real resources through strategic state guidance, like Five-Year Plans and state-owned enterprises in key sectors. Yan talks about the use of capital controls and a managed exchange rate. She details lessons from 2015 and the application of MMT principles to insulate domestic policy from volatile external forces. Without romanticizing China, Yan also walks through its real challenges. But from an MMT-aware lens, these are seen as problems of policy design and resource use (issues a sovereign, planning-oriented state can address!) rather than proof of an impending collapse. Yan Liang is Peter C and Bonnie S Kremer Chair Professor of Economics at Willamette University. She is also a Research Associate at the Levy Economics Institute, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Global Development Policy Center (Boston University), and a Research Scholar of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity. Yan specializes in the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), the Political Economy of China, Economic Development, and International Economics. Yan's current research focuses on China's development finance and industrial transformation, and China's role in the global financial architecture. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yan-liang-1355b91a2/ @YanLian31677392 on X

In this critical national security briefing, Dr. Jerome Corsi is joined by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Tony Shaffer, former U.S. Army intelligence officer, Newsmax contributor, and national security expert, to expose why a deep-water port in Chile has become a major strategic flashpoint in the escalating U.S.–China global power struggle.China is moving aggressively to secure control over a strategically placed Pacific port in South America, cutting shipping time to Asia by over two weeks and giving Beijing direct access to rare earth minerals, lithium, agriculture, and energy resources. Dr. Corsi and Tony Shaffer warn this move is not commercial — it is geopolitical warfare disguised as trade. 

Saving American Liberty, Session 5 In this session from the New Discourses event 'Saving American Liberty,' Michael O'Fallon argues that global political, corporate, and religious institutions are jointly reshaping Western society through “degrowth” policies, sustainability mandates, and ideological frameworks like ESG and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, which he sees as mechanisms for centralizing control and limiting individual freedom. He contrasts the West's self-imposed economic contraction with China's expansion through the Belt and Road Initiative, claiming this shift empowers China while weakening America's global position. O'Fallon warns that identity-based conflicts, migration pressures, and urban destabilization are fragmenting Western societies into competing tribal enclaves, leaving them vulnerable to foreign influence. He concludes that COVID-era restrictions, digital surveillance, and AI-driven governance signal a broader transition from a merit-based, liberty-oriented system to one that demands ideological compliance from both citizens and institutions. The other lectures in this series can be found here: Session 1: https://youtu.be/4u2ak-DmKD4 Session 2: https://youtu.be/gUiLUmZWsc4 Session 3: https://youtu.be/WRheQNDTSOQ Session 4: https://youtu.be/AjKqBgzF36w Latest from New Discourses Press! The Queering of the American Child: https://queeringbook.com/ Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2025 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #MichaelOFallon #Sustainability

China will deepen multilateral cooperation on green technologies, support its new energy vehicle, battery and photovoltaic enterprises in expanding globally, and accelerate the low-carbon transition of its sprawling manufacturing sector, said the nation's top industry regulator.中国工业主管部门负责人表示，中国将深化绿色技术的多边合作，支持新能源汽车、电池和光伏企业“走出去”，并加快庞大制造业体系的低碳转型。Li Lecheng, minister of industry and information technology, said in an exclusive signed article written for China Daily that when global climate governance encounters setbacks and some nations are backsliding on their commitments, China's determination to pursue a green transition in manufacturing underlines its drive to foster new quality productive forces and pursue high-quality development.工业和信息化部部长李乐成在为《中国日报》撰写的署名文章中表示，当全球气候治理遭遇挫折、部分国家在承诺上出现倒退时，中国坚持推动制造业绿色转型，凸显了其培育新质生产力、推动高质量发展的决心。China will "encourage competitive Chinese enterprises in photovoltaics, wind power, lithium batteries and new energy vehicles to expand globally and to invest in and develop green energy projects in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and beyond", Li said.李乐成表示，中国将“鼓励具有竞争力的光伏、风电、锂电和新能源汽车企业加快全球布局，在共建“一带一路”国家和其他地区投资并开发绿色能源项目”。President Xi Jinping announced China's new Nationally Determined Contributions in his video speech in September to the United Nations Climate Summit 2025. Xi said that China will, by 2035, expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels, striving to bring the total to 3,600 gigawatts, and make new energy vehicles the mainstream in the sales of new vehicles.习近平主席在今年9月的联合国2025气候峰会视频讲话中宣布了中国新的国家自主贡献目标。他指出，到2035年，中国风电和光伏装机容量将扩大到2020年的六倍以上，总装机规模力争达到3600吉瓦，同时让新能源汽车成为新车销售的主流。"The deep impetus for the green transition of China's sprawling manufacturing sector stems from President Xi's ecological civilization concept," Li said, adding that China's new NDC targets demonstrate a pragmatic and actionable ambition for emission reductions.李乐成称，“中国庞大制造业推进绿色转型的根本动力源自习近平生态文明思想”，新的国家自主贡献目标体现了务实且可操作的减排雄心。Highlighting that "China has built the world's largest new energy industry chain", Li said the country's renewable energy products are exported to over 200 countries and regions. Such products meet more than 80 percent of the global demand for photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of the global demand for wind power equipment. Meanwhile, over half of the world's electric vehicles run on Chinese roads.李乐成强调，“中国已建成全球规模最大的新能源产业链”，其可再生能源产品出口至200多个国家和地区，供应全球80%以上的光伏组件需求和70%的风电装备需求。同时，全球超过一半的电动汽车在中国道路上运行。"China has also collaborated with more than 100 countries and regions on green energy projects. ... These initiatives demonstrate the tangible impact of Chinese solutions in helping other developing nations address climate change while fostering economic growth," Li added.他补充说，“中国已与100多个国家和地区开展绿色能源合作项目……这些举措展示了中国方案在帮助广大发展中国家应对气候变化、促进经济增长方面的实质性成效”。According to Li, from 2021 to 2024, China produced about 15.6 trillion kilowatts of photovoltaic modules, which has helped the world generate about 3.2 trillion kilowatt-hours of green electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 2.54 billion metric tons.据李乐成介绍，2021至2024年，中国生产光伏组件约15.6万亿千瓦，可帮助全球产生约3.2万亿千瓦时绿色电力，减少约25.4亿吨二氧化碳排放。China will also promote international cooperation in green infrastructure and transportation solutions, and actively participate in shaping international green and low-carbon regulations, he said.他表示，中国还将推动绿色基础设施和绿色交通方案的国际合作，并积极参与制定全球绿色低碳规则。Li outlined a systematic approach to reinforcing the green development of China's manufacturing economy, focusing on modernizing the industrial system, building green supply chains and deepening international cooperation.李乐成指出，中国将通过系统化路径推动制造业绿色发展，重点包括现代化产业体系建设、绿色供应链构建及深化国际合作。"China will strategically plan and deploy future-oriented energy and manufacturing industries, including hydrogen energy, energy storage, bio-manufacturing and carbon capture, utilization and storage," he said.他说，“中国将前瞻性布局氢能、储能、生物制造以及碳捕集、利用与封存（CCUS）等未来能源与制造业方向”。The senior official also emphasized technological innovation as the core driver for sustainable development. Nearly half of Chinese enterprises engaged in or planned green tech innovation in 2024, according to data from the China National Intellectual Property Administration.这位高层官员同时强调，技术创新是可持续发展的核心动力。国家知识产权局数据显示，2024年近一半中国企业已开展或计划开展绿色技术创新。"Over the past decade, China has contributed to a cumulative reduction of over 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively, in the global average levelized cost of electricity for wind power and solar photovoltaic technologies," Li said.李乐成表示，“过去十年，中国促使全球风电与光伏发电的平准化成本分别下降超过60%和80%”。"An ancient Chinese proverb reads: 'Those who persevere in action will achieve their goals.' ... No matter how the international landscape shifts, (China's manufacturing industry) remains committed to honoring its pledge of building a community with a shared future for mankind through tangible green initiatives," he added.他引用古语：“行而不辍，未来可期。”并补充称，无论国际形势如何变化，中国制造业都将继续以实际绿色行动践行构建人类命运共同体的承诺。He Kebin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said: "After decades of efforts, China has taken the lead in research and development, and in the large-scale engineering application of new energy technologies. Its mature and cost-competitive technical solutions are becoming increasingly sought-after in the global market.中国工程院院士何科斌表示：“经过数十年的努力，中国已在新能源技术研发以及大规模工程化应用方面走在世界前列，其成熟且具成本优势的技术方案正在全球市场中备受青睐。”"In the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, China's unique expertise will provide crucial support for other countries that are rich in wind and solar resources but have weak grid foundations," the academician said.他指出，“在‘十五五'时期（2026—2030年），中国的独特技术能力将为那些风光资源丰富、但电网基础薄弱的国家提供重要支持”。He Xiaopeng, CEO of Chinese auto company Xpeng Motors, said that China "possesses distinct advantages in industrial chain and artificial intelligence, complemented by strengths in efficiency, cost, quality and scale", adding that "these factors can empower the global expansion of China's new energy vehicles".中国汽车企业小鹏汽车的首席执行官何小鹏表示，中国“在产业链和人工智能方面具有独特优势，并在效率、成本、质量和规模上占据显著长处”，这些因素将推动中国新能源汽车加快全球化布局。low-carbon transition 低碳转型Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)国家自主贡献installed capacity装机容量photovoltaic modules光伏组件carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)碳捕集、利用与封存

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has expressed the country's readiness to enhance synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Tonga's national development strategies.

SHOW -25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1942 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT the peace plan. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Economy, Fed Rates, and the AI Productivity Boom — Liz Peek — Peek examines the U.S. economy, noting mixed retail sales data alongside recent strength in credit card spending. She anticipates the Federal Reserve will likely reduce interest rates in December due to softening labor market conditions, despite traditional employment reporting lags. Peekemphasizes that the Fed fails to account adequately for AI's significant, though currently unmeasured, impact on productivity gains, employment displacement, and escalating electricity consumption, even as AI demonstrates substantial benefits in diagnostics and medical analysis. 915-930 930-945 Ireland's Exposed Western Flank and Europe's Ukraine Stance — Judy Dempsey — Dempsey examines how Ireland's steadfast neutrality and limited defense capabilities leave its critical undersea communication cables vulnerable to Russian eavesdropping and potential sabotage. Despite maintaining budget surpluses, Ireland prioritizes social issues, including housing, over defense investments. Dempsey notes that European powers view the U.S.-Russia peace proposal for Ukraine with skepticism, characterizing it as a "Russian wish list," while German leadership remains publicly committed to sustained Ukrainian military support. 945-1000 SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Unorthodox Ukraine Diplomacy and Geopolitical Realism — Mary Kissel — Kissel analyzes the "exceedingly odd" U.S. approach to Ukraine peace negotiations, wherein businesspeople framed initial proposals while bypassing traditional State Department channels. This transactional negotiating style concerns European allies because it appears to reward Russia and establishes an unfavorable initial bargaining position. Kissel suggests the conflict will likely persist while diplomatic discussions protract. She commends Marco Rubio for prioritizing economic growth and countering Chineseand Iranian influence throughout the Western Hemisphere. 1015-1030 1030-1045 Escalating Conflict: Hezbollah Strike, Turkish Influence, and Fragile Ceasefires — Jonathan Schanzer — Schanzer discusses the chaotic status of regional ceasefires, highlighting Israel's major strike against Hezbollah's de facto military commander in Beirut. Iran and Turkey are actively exploiting smuggling routes into Lebanon via Syriato sustain Hezbollah operations. Schanzer addresses the dysfunction of the Lebanese government, the fragility of the Gaza truce agreement, and the complex geopolitical competition involving Russia, Turkey, and external actors competing for influence over the nascent Syrian state. 1045-1100 THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 China's Debt Dilemma and Keir Starmer's Political Trouble — Joseph Sternberg — Sternberg analyzes China'scritical economic vulnerabilities, noting that its $2.2 trillion in global lending—partly channeled through the Belt and Road Initiative—faces mounting pressure from defaults and political resistance to Chinese asset ownership. Domestically, China restricts capital inflows to manage inflation and stabilize exchange rates. Sternberg also examines UK politics, noting that Labour leader Keir Starmer faces mounting political difficulties ahead of a challenging budget that lacks an articulated economic growth strategy. 1115-1130 1130-1145 AI Regulation: The Danger of Fear and the Need for a National Framework — Kevin Fraaser — Fraser critiques the regulatory rush surrounding AI, faulting the EU's approach to establishing guardrails based on "speculative fears" rather than documented harms. He warns against allowing "robophobia"—unfounded fear of artificial intelligence—to drive policy, advocating instead for regulatory focus on beneficial applications including healthcare diagnostics and educational access. Fraaser advocates for a unified U.S. regulatory framework to prevent a fragmented patchwork of state laws and excessive litigation that stifles technological innovation. 1145-1200 FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Ukraine Diplomacy, NATO Defense Gaps, and Baltic War Games — Gregory Copley — Copley analyzes the opaque U.S.-Russia Ukraine peace talks, which initially involved non-traditional negotiators rather than career diplomats. European powers are seeking inclusion in discussions but maintain conflicting strategic objectives. The discussion covers NATO's eroding relevance, particularly regarding Ireland's vulnerability to Russian surveillance and potential sabotage of critical undersea communication cables. Copley assesses a war game scenario in which Russia directly challenges NATO's Article 5 collective defense commitment in the Baltics. 1215-1230 1230-1245 1245-100 AM

China's Debt Dilemma and Keir Starmer's Political Trouble — Joseph Sternberg — Sternberg analyzes China'scritical economic vulnerabilities, noting that its $2.2 trillion in global lending—partly channeled through the Belt and Road Initiative—faces mounting pressure from defaults and political resistance to Chinese asset ownership. Domestically, China restricts capital inflows to manage inflation and stabilize exchange rates. Sternberg also examines UK politics, noting that Labour leader Keir Starmer faces mounting political difficulties ahead of a challenging budget that lacks an articulated economic growth strategy. 1700 WINDSOR CASTLE

In this episode of Beyond the Indus, Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad and John Calabrese from the Middle East Institute join host Tushar Shetty to examine India's evolving strategy in the Middle East.We discuss the region's critical importance to India as a source of energy and trade, India's expanding security presence from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Afghanistan, and the country's ambitious infrastructure initiatives including the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC). The conversation also explores how India is responding to growing Chinese economic influence and the emerging Saudi Arabia-Pakistan alliance, and whether IMEC can realistically compete with China's Belt and Road Initiative as a transformative regional project.For more in-depth analysis on South Asia, subscribe to the Beyond the Indus podcast.

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna speaks with Rushan Abbas, an advocate for the Uyghur community and founder of the Campaign for Uyghurs, about the history and ongoing genocide of her people. Abbas explains the Uyghurs' distinct identity as a Turkic, Muslim people from East Turkestan (now called Xinjiang by China), tracing the evolution of their persecution from the Cultural Revolution to the present day. She details the current atrocities, linking them to Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative, and describes the horrific conditions in concentration camps, including torture, forced sterilization of women, family separation, and the use of forced labor to create a profitable genocide. Sharing her personal story of how her own activism led to her sister's imprisonment, Abbas highlights the Chinese government's transnational repression and concludes with a powerful call to action, urging listeners to educate themselves, use their consumer power to boycott goods made with forced labor, and pressure their governments to hold China accountable.

Sudan's collapse isn't a natural disaster — it's a deliberate act of imperial design.For decades, Washington has waged economic warfare and proxy conflicts to dismantle Sudan's sovereignty. Now, with Israel and the UAE leading the charge, Sudan is being stripped of its gold, oil, and independence under the banner of “stability.”In this episode, Mnar Adley exposes how U.S. policy, Israeli intelligence, and Emirati financing have turned Sudan into a war laboratory — and why its destruction is central to the West's war on the Axis of Resistance and China's Belt and Road Initiative.From the famine in Darfur to the blood gold flowing to Dubai, this is the architecture of U.S. imperialism at work — and a warning to every nation daring to defy it.Guests:Mnar Adley — Founder and director of MintPress News, host of Behind The HeadlinesAlan MacLeod — Senior Staff Writer and producer at MintPress NewsTopics Covered:U.S. sanctions and the deliberate destabilization of SudanIsrael and the UAE's proxy war roleThe theft of Sudan's gold and control of Red Sea portsWashington's strategy against China, Russia, and Iran in AfricaThe humanitarian façade behind imperial wars

If there is a city in China that embodies the spirit of breaking new ground, daring to dream, and turning visions into reality, it is Shenzhen.在中国，若论哪个城市最能诠释敢闯敢试、敢为人先、将愿景变为现实的精神，那一定是深圳。From a fishing village in southern China about four decades ago to a global innovation powerhouse today, the city has become a living showcase of China's reform and opening-up, as well as a launchpad for the future of sustainable, digital and green development. Shenzhen is suitable to chart the future of Asia-Pacific cooperation.四十多年前，深圳还是中国南方的一个小渔村；如今，它已崛起为全球创新高地。这座城市不仅是中国改革开放的生动缩影，更是推动可持续发展、数字发展与绿色发展的未来试验田。深圳完全有能力引领亚太合作的未来方向。On Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in Gyeongju, South Korea that Shenzhen will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2026.周六，中国国家主席习近平在韩国庆州宣布，深圳将于2026年11月主办亚太经合组织（APEC）领导人非正式会议。Noting that Shenzhen has developed from a small and backward fishing village into a modern international metropolis over the past few decades, Xi said that the city's rise is a miracle in the history of world development created by the Chinese people and also an important window to China's unswerving pursuit of a mutually beneficial and win-win opening-up strategy.习近平指出，几十年来，深圳从一个落后的小渔村发展成为现代化国际大都市，这座城市的崛起是中国人民创造的世界发展史上的奇迹，也是中国坚定不移奉行互利共赢开放战略的重要窗口。LIVING LAB OF OPEN INNOVATION开放创新的“活实验室”In a speech at the second session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting under the title "Jointly Forging a Sustainable and Brighter Future," Xi highlighted the need for open innovation by leveraging shared scientific and technological advances through collaborative efforts.在第32届APEC领导人非正式会议第二阶段会议上，习近平以“携手打造可持续、更加繁荣的未来”为题发表讲话，强调要通过协同合作，依托共享科技成果，推动开放创新。"At present, the new wave of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is deepening," Xi said."Challenges such as climate change, food security and energy security are intensifying. Asia-Pacific economies must enhance mutually beneficial cooperation, make good use of new opportunities, stand up to new challenges, and forge a sustainable and brighter future together," he said.习近平表示：“当前，新一轮科技革命和产业变革深入发展，气候变化、粮食安全、能源安全等挑战不断加剧。亚太各经济体必须加强互利合作，用好新机遇，应对新挑战，共同打造可持续、更加繁荣的未来。”For Daniel Dumbrill, a Canadian current affairs commentator who once lived in Shenzhen for 14 years, Shenzhen exemplifies cooperative action in the tech field.曾在深圳生活14年的加拿大时事评论员丹尼尔・邓布里尔（Daniel Dumbrill）认为，深圳是科技领域合作实践的典范。"Much of APEC's purpose is practical cooperation: trade, tech-sharing and green growth. Shenzhen doesn't preach -- it delivers," he said. "Shenzhen fits APEC's style perfectly and can act as inspiration for the entire APEC region."“APEC的核心目标之一是务实合作，涵盖贸易、技术共享与绿色发展。深圳从不空谈，而是实干。”他说，“深圳与APEC的理念高度契合，完全能够为整个亚太经合组织区域提供借鉴。”Characterized by a dense cluster of leading tech enterprises and high-growth startups in artificial intelligence (AI), biotech and advanced manufacturing, Shenzhen's strategic emerging industries have become a pillar of its economy. Their added value rose to 1.56 trillion yuan (about 220 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, representing 42.3 percent of the city's gross domestic product (GDP).深圳汇聚了大量人工智能、生物科技、高端制造领域的龙头科技企业与高成长性初创公司，战略性新兴产业已成为其经济支柱。2024年，深圳战略性新兴产业增加值达1.56万亿元（约合2200亿美元），占全市地区生产总值（GDP）的42.3%。The city's unwavering drive for innovation aligns perfectly with Xi's call for APEC economies to "unleash the potential of digital and smart development to give the Asia-Pacific region a fresh edge in innovation-driven development" and "promote new quality productive forces." But equally important is the fact that in Shenzhen, the spirit of cooperation has long been taking root.深圳对创新的不懈追求，与习近平提出的“释放数字智能发展潜力，为亚太创新驱动发展注入新动能”及“推动新质生产力发展”的倡议高度契合。同样重要的是，合作精神早已在深圳落地生根。Shenzhen's strengths in sectors such as electronic information, new energy and AI align closely with the strong demand from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries undergoing digital and industrial transformation.深圳在电子信息、新能源、人工智能等领域的优势，与正经历数字化和产业转型的东南亚国家联盟（东盟）各国的强劲需求高度匹配。At the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo held in September, Shenzhen's "Smart Manufacturing" drew global attention with its innovative edge, resulting in on-site contracts worth 47.61 million yuan (about 6.7 million dollars) and intended deals totaling 192.4 million yuan (about 27.1 million dollars).在2024年9月举办的第22届中国—东盟博览会上，深圳“智能制造”凭借创新优势吸引了全球目光，现场签约金额达4761万元（约合670万美元），意向成交总额达1.924亿元（约合2710万美元）。Meanwhile, since 1999, the China High-tech Fair has been held annually in Shenzhen, serving as a significant window for China's opening-up in the high-tech sector and an important platform for exchanging and trading technological achievements.与此同时，自1999年起，中国国际高新技术成果交易会（简称“高交会”）每年在深圳举办。作为中国高新技术领域对外开放的重要窗口，高交会已成为技术成果交流与交易的关键平台。"APEC is a wildly diverse set of economies that all have unique strengths and weaknesses. As a new city, Shenzhen has been at the forefront of building a new style of global city," said Andrew Hutchins, associate professor at Shenzhen's Southern University of Science and Technology.深圳南方科技大学副教授安德鲁・哈钦斯表示：“APEC涵盖的经济体多样性极强，各有独特优势与短板。作为一座新兴城市，深圳始终走在打造新型全球城市的前沿。”"Shenzhen has now fused its own unique characteristics based on research, innovation and organization that can serve as a model for new upcoming cities looking for rapid development," said Hutchins.“如今，深圳已融合形成基于科研、创新与组织管理的独特城市特质，可为寻求快速发展的新兴城市提供典范。”哈钦斯说。GREEN GROWTH PATTERN FOR FUTURE引领未来的绿色发展模式During his speech, Xi called for staying committed to green and low-carbon development to build a new paradigm for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.习近平在讲话中呼吁，坚持绿色低碳发展，构建亚太可持续发展新范式。"We should keep in mind our responsibility to our future generations, enhance synergy between green development strategies of all economies, promote free flows of quality green technologies and products, accelerate the green and low-carbon transition, and vigorously tackle climate change," Xi said.“我们要牢记对子孙后代的责任，加强各经济体绿色发展战略协同，推动优质绿色技术和产品自由流动，加快绿色低碳转型，积极应对气候变化。”习近平强调。Innovation in Shenzhen is not just digital. It is also green. Over the past years, the city has become a leader in clean energy and sustainable urban development. It is the first city in the world to electrify its entire public bus fleet, a transformation that has cut millions of tons of carbon emissions annually.深圳的创新不仅体现在数字领域，更贯穿于绿色发展之中。过去数年，深圳已成为清洁能源与可持续城市发展的领军者——它是全球首个实现公共交通巴士全面电动化的城市，这一转型每年可减少数百万吨碳排放。The city is a hub for renewable energy technology production, with companies manufacturing solar panels, wind turbines and energy-storage systems, and has also developed projects like the Shenzhen Energy Ring plant, which generates electricity from waste and supplies it to the city's grid.深圳还是可再生能源技术生产枢纽，众多企业在此制造太阳能电池板、风力涡轮机与储能设备。此外，深圳还建成了深圳能源生态园等项目，通过垃圾焚烧发电并接入城市电网。China itself has set ambitious goals to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. On Saturday, Xi briefed leaders of the APEC economies on China's concrete actions to advance global green transition.中国已制定明确的绿色发展目标：力争2030年前实现碳达峰，2060年前实现碳中和。周六，习近平向APEC各经济体领导人介绍了中国推动全球绿色转型的具体举措。"China has submitted its 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions on climate response, and will implement the system of dual control over the volume and intensity of carbon emissions across the board," said the Chinese leader.习近平表示：“中国已提交《中华人民共和国2035年温室气体排放控制目标》，将全面实行碳排放总量和强度双控制度。”"China has funded the establishment of the APEC Support Fund -- Sub-fund on Promoting Digitalization for Green Transitions, and will continue to implement relevant initiatives on clean energy and green transition," Xi said.“中国出资设立了APEC促进绿色转型数字化专项基金，将继续实施清洁能源与绿色转型相关举措。”For Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee, director of the Thailand-China Research Center of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asia-Pacific region should steadfastly pursue green economic and industrial strategies, continue strengthening strategic alignment with China's development initiatives, and build more stable and secure supply and industrial chains.泰国—中国“一带一路”研究院院长威伦・披差翁帕迪认为，亚太地区应坚定推行绿色经济与产业战略，持续加强与中国发展倡议的战略协同，构建更稳定、更安全的供应链与产业链。"China's transition to green and low-carbon development is steadily advancing. China's efforts toward achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality have been widely recognized," said the expert.“中国向绿色低碳发展转型的步伐稳健，在实现碳达峰、碳中和目标上的努力得到了广泛认可。”这位专家表示。As the host of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in 2026, China shoulders the important mission of guiding Asia-Pacific cooperation and helping it reach a new stage, said Christina Ruth Elisabeth, economist at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia.印度尼西亚大学经济与商学院经济学家克里斯蒂娜・露丝・伊丽莎白指出，作为2026年APEC领导人非正式会议的主办国，中国肩负着引领亚太合作、推动其迈向新阶段的重要使命"In the field of sustainable development, advancing renewable energy and low-carbon investment will be crucial to supporting long-term growth," said the expert, stressing that the 2026 APEC meeting is expected to become a significant milestone in building a more open, inclusive, sustainable and resilient Asia-Pacific economy.“在可持续发展领域，推动可再生能源发展与低碳投资对支撑长期增长至关重要。”她强调，2026年APEC会议有望成为打造更开放、更包容、更可持续、更具韧性的亚太经济的重要里程碑。powerhouse /ˈpaʊəhaʊs/n.强大的组织；实力雄厚的机构paradigm /ˈpærədaɪm/n.范例；典范；

尊敬的李在明总统， Your Excellency President Lee Jae-myung, 各位同事： Colleagues, 很高兴来到韩国历史文化名城庆州，同大家共谋亚太发展大计。感谢李在明总统和韩国政府的周到安排。 It is my great pleasure to be here in Gyeongju, a city of rich history and culture, to join you in discussing the future of the Asia-Pacific. Let me begin by thanking President Lee Jae-myung and the ROK government for the thoughtful arrangement. 亚太经合组织成立30多年来，从勾画亚太自由贸易区蓝图到推动建设亚太共同体，引领亚太地区走在全球开放发展前列，助力亚太成为全球经济最具活力的地区。 Over the past 30-plus years since its founding, from drafting the blueprint of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) to advancing the vision of an Asia-Pacific community, APEC has been spearheading the region's rise to the forefront of global open development, and has made the Asia-Pacific the most dynamic part of the global economy. 当前，世界百年变局加速演进，国际形势变乱交织，亚太地区发展面临的不稳定不确定因素增多。越是风高浪急，越要同舟共济。我们要坚守亚太经合组织促进经济增长、增进人民福祉的初衷，坚持在开放发展中分享机遇、实现共赢，推进普惠包容的经济全球化，构建亚太共同体。为此，我提5点建议。 Currently, changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. The international situation is fluid and turbulent. The Asia-Pacific faces growing uncertainties and destabilizing factors in its development. The rougher the seas, the more we must pull together. We should stay true to APEC's founding mission to promote economic growth and improve people's lives, and champion open development where everyone shares opportunities and emerges a winner. We should promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community. To this end, I wish to make five proposals. 一是共同维护多边贸易体制。践行真正的多边主义，提高以世界贸易组织为核心的多边贸易体制的权威性和有效性。坚持世界贸易组织改革的正确方向，维护最惠国待遇、非歧视等基本原则，推动国际经贸规则与时俱进，更好保障发展中国家正当权益。 First, we should work together to safeguard the multilateral trading system. We must practice true multilateralism, and enhance the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. We should stick to the right direction of WTO reform, uphold the most-favored-nation (MFN), nondiscrimination and other fundamental principles, and update international economic and trade rules to reflect the changing times, so as to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. 二是共同营造开放型区域经济环境。持续推进贸易和投资自由化便利化，深化财金领域合作，稳步推进区域经济一体化进程。把握《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》高质量实施和《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》扩员契机，推动彼此对接、融合共进，为亚太自由贸易区建设聚势汇能。 Second, we should work together to build an open economic environment in the region. We should keep promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, deepen fiscal and financial cooperation, and steadily push for regional economic integration. With the RCEP being implemented to high standards and the CPTPP membership expanding, we should help the two align with each other and progress together so as to inject impetus into the development of the FTAAP. 三是共同维护产业链供应链稳定畅通。坚持“拉手”而不是“松手”、“延链”而不是“断链”，积极寻找更多利益契合点，支持供应链开放发展。以《亚太经合组织互联互通蓝图》实施10周年为契机，不断做实做细硬联通、软联通、心联通，进一步夯实亚太地区开放发展基础。 Third, we should work together to keep industrial and supply chains stable and smooth. We must join hands rather than part ways, and strengthen our links rather than sever them. We should vigorously expand our common interests, and support the open development of supply chains. The tenth anniversary of the APEC Connectivity Blueprint gives us a good opportunity to strive for concrete and tangible results in physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity so as to further consolidate the foundations for open development in our region. 四是共同推进贸易数字化绿色化。充分发挥数字技术对跨境贸易的促进作用，推进无纸贸易、智慧海关等务实合作。破除各种绿色壁垒，拓展绿色产业、清洁能源和绿色矿产合作。中方在亚太经合组织首倡设立的亚太示范电子口岸网络、绿色供应链网络，已经成为区域贸易数字化绿色化合作的重要平台。 Fourth, we should work together to advance the digital and green transformation of trade. We should make digital technologies a strong catalyst for cross-border trade, and promote practical cooperation in paperless trade, smart customs and other areas. We must remove various green barriers, and expand cooperation in green industries, clean energy and green minerals. The Asia-Pacific Model E-port Network and the Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain initiated by China under APEC have become important platforms for regional cooperation on the digital and green upgrades for trade. 五是共同促进普惠包容发展。坚持以人民为中心的发展理念，着力解决发展不平衡问题，推动经济全球化更加包容、更可持续，更好惠及地区全体人民。中方同各方合作推进高质量共建“一带一路”，支持更多发展中国家实现现代化，为全球发展开辟新空间。中国已给予同我国建交的最不发达国家100%税目产品零关税待遇，愿通过商签共同发展经济伙伴关系协定落实对非洲建交国实施100%税目产品零关税措施，致力于同各国共同发展、共享繁荣。 Fifth, we should work together to promote universally beneficial and inclusive development. We should adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, focus on imbalances in development, and foster an economic globalization that is more inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial to all peoples in the region. China is working with various parties to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and supports the modernization drive of more developing countries, which will help open up new space for global development. We have given zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent tariff lines from the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, and stand ready to extend the same treatment to all African countries having diplomatic relations with China through the signing of agreements on economic partnership for shared development. We will continue to strive for common development and shared prosperity with all nations. 各位同事！ Colleagues, 中国始终坚持对外开放的基本国策，以实际行动推动建设开放型世界经济。过去5年，中国货物和服务贸易规模位居全球第一和第二，累计吸引外资逾7000亿美元，对外投资年均增速超过5%。中国的外资准入负面清单持续缩减，单方面免签持续扩容，自主开放和单边开放有序扩大，22个自贸试验区主动对接国际高标准经贸规则。中国对外开放的大门不会关闭，只会越开越大。 China always pursues the basic state policy of opening up, and has taken real steps to promote an open world economy. Over the past five years, China has ranked as the world's largest trader in goods and the second largest in services. It has attracted more than 700 billion US dollars in foreign investment in total, and its outbound investment has been increasing by over five percent on annual average. We have been shortening the negative list for foreign investment, and applying the unilateral visa-free policy to more countries. We are steadily expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up, and have actively aligned with high-standard international economic and trade rules through our 22 pilot free trade zones. China's door to the world will not close; it will only open wider and wider. 不久前，中共二十届四中全会通过了关于制定“十五五”规划的建议。中方将以此为契机，进一步全面深化改革，坚定不移扩大高水平对外开放，不断以中国式现代化新成就为亚太和世界提供新机遇。 A few days ago, the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan were adopted at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. We will take this opportunity to further deepen reform comprehensively and expand high-standard opening up, and create new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world through the latest achievements of Chinese modernization. 谢谢大家！ Thank you.

John Anderson speaks with David Eubank and Dr. Sean Turnell about the realities of China's involvement in Myanmar's civil war following their 2021 military coup and why it matters for Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. They reflect on Eubank's first-hand experience providing humanitarian relief at the front line of guerilla warfare in the jungle, and Turnell's harrowing ordeal as a political prisoner for 650 days under the military regime. They explore Myanmar's struggle for freedom, the staggering human cost of resistance, and the courage of those who continue to serve amid war and persecution.The discussion calls for urgent attention to the expansion of China's Belt and Road Initiative and Russia's growing footprint in the region. The crisis in Myanmar is not isolated but emblematic of the moral test facing free societies—whether they will stand with those who fight for liberty under tyranny. This is a sobering reminder of the need for moral resolve and principled leadership in an increasingly dangerous world. Dave Eubank is a former U.S. Special Forces soldier who has spent nearly three decades on the front lines of some of the world's most brutal conflicts. He is the founder of the Free Burma Rangers and continues to deliver humanitarian aid in active war zones alongside his family.Sean Turnell is an Australian economist and former economic policy advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar. He spent 650 days in a Myanmar prison and wrote about the experience in his book An Unlikely Prisoner: How an Eternal Optimist Found Hope in Myanmar's Most Notorious Jail.

US Tariffs Drive Canada Toward Greater Economic Integration with China. Charles Burton discusses how US tariff aggression, fueled by Premier Doug Ford quoting Ronald Reagan to criticize US trade policy, is pushing Canada toward China. The uncertainty over Trump's response makes negotiating difficult, prompting speculation Canada may renew free trade talks with Beijing, remove investment restrictions, and possibly join the Belt and Road Initiative. 1910 OTTAWA ROWING CLUB

SHOW 10-25-27 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT PAKISTAN FIRST HOUR 9-915 Afghan-Pakistan Peace Talks and the Imprisonment of Imran Khan. Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio discuss Afghan-Pakistan peace talks, which are unlikely to achieve long-term peace as Pakistan feels "cocky." Trump's efforts are seen as ironic, given the issues stemming from the Doha agreement. Discussion turns to Imran Khan's imprisonment; the military fears his party's survival and aims to keep him from power. China's financial support for Pakistan is also noted as flagging. 915-930 Afghan-Pakistan Peace Talks and the Imprisonment of Imran Khan. Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio discuss Afghan-Pakistan peace talks, which are unlikely to achieve long-term peace as Pakistan feels "cocky." Trump's efforts are seen as ironic, given the issues stemming from the Doha agreement. Discussion turns to Imran Khan's imprisonment; the military fears his party's survival and aims to keep him from power. China's financial support for Pakistan is also noted as flagging. 930-945 Israel Seeks Reliable Multinational Force to Prevent Hamas Resurgence in Gaza. David Daoud discusses Israel's primary concern regarding a multinational force in Gaza: ensuring its reliability to prevent Hamas's resurgence or rearmament. Hamas is reasserting control and slow-rolling the recovery of remaining hostages' bodies to establish the ceasefire. US drones monitor adherence to the ceasefire. Israel has ended the emergency status in the south, signaling a slow return to normal life. 945-1000 Iran Defies West on Nuclear Program Despite Loss of Key Scientists. Jonathan Schanzer discusses Iran's defiant nuclear program, noting the procurement of air defense systems from Russia and China is debatable. A major setback has been the loss of nuclear scientists due to targeted assassinations. Iran is heavily supporting the Houthis (now a full proxy), sending ballistic missile components and IRGC officials to help assemble them in Yemen. Snapback sanctions' impact on Iran's partnerships with Russia and China remains uncertain. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Hamas Slow-Rolls Hostage Returns to Avoid Disarmament, as Iran Remains Defiant. Malcolm Hoenlein discusses Hamas's slow-rolling of deceased hostage returns to avoid disarmament, a key condition of the peace talks. He notes Iran remains defiant, reconstituting its nuclear program at sites like Tehran 2 and using Georgia to evade sanctions. The discussion also covers the naming of a successor for PA President Abbas and highlights Javier Milei's landslide victory in Argentina as a stabilizing factor in South America. 1015-1030 Hamas Slow-Rolls Hostage Returns to Avoid Disarmament, as Iran Remains Defiant. Malcolm Hoenlein discusses Hamas's slow-rolling of deceased hostage returns to avoid disarmament, a key condition of the peace talks. He notes Iran remains defiant, reconstituting its nuclear program at sites like Tehran 2 and using Georgia to evade sanctions. The discussion also covers the naming of a successor for PA President Abbas and highlights Javier Milei's landslide victory in Argentina as a stabilizing factor in South America. 1030-1045 Russia Tests Nuclear Missile Amid Tough Winter and Increased US Sanctions. John Hardie analyzes Russia's reported successful test of the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile. This test is likely aimed at pressuring the US into arms control talks, rather than impacting the Ukraine battlefield. On the ground, the situation in Pokrovsk has deteriorated due to Russian infiltration. The US has shifted from diplomacy to pressure, imposing sanctions on major Russian oil companies. 1045-1100 Anti-Hamas Clans and Militias Challenge Hamas's Control in Gaza. Ahmad Sharawi discusses the challenge to Hamas's power in Gaza by anti-Hamas clans and militias, some allegedly backed by Israel. Groups like the Dughmush clan and Yasser Abu Shabbab's Popular Forces contest Hamas's control and monopolization of aid. Hamas deters these rivals, labeling them "collaborators," as Gaza fragments into controlled pockets or "bantustans." THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Poised to De-escalate Trade Dispute with Trump. Conrad Black analyzes the US-Canada trade dispute ignited by Ontario Premier Doug Ford's ad criticizing US tariffs. Black notes that while Ford was "cheeky," President Trump overreacted by suspending negotiations and mandating 10% tariffs. Prime Minister Mark Carney, seen as a diplomatic and well-informed figure, is expected to de-escalate the issue and work toward a reasonable agreement at the upcoming Asian conference. 1115-1130 AQAP Targets Anti-Houthi Forces Amidst Cooperation with Houthis and Iran. Bridget Toomey reports on AQAP's attack on anti-Houthi Yemeni soldiers. AQAP and the Houthis have an informal non-aggression agreement, sometimes cooperating on weapon smuggling. Iran supplies advanced arms to the Houthis and has maintained a relationship with al-Qaeda leadership for two decades. This cooperation, despite sectarian differences, aims to destabilize Yemen and the region. 1130-1145 Milei's Libertarian Win in Argentina Signals 'MAGA Tide' in Latin America. Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo analyze Javier Milei's decisive win in Argentina, viewing it as a model for Latin America and a victory for Donald Trump. The result signals a reduction of the "pink tide" and emergence of a "MAGA tide." Trump is leveraging trade talks to pressure Brazil's President Lula da Silva regarding Bolsonaro and alignment with China, reconfiguring power in the region. 1145-1200 Milei's Libertarian Win in Argentina Signals 'MAGA Tide' in Latin America. Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo analyze Javier Milei's decisive win in Argentina, viewing it as a model for Latin America and a victory for Donald Trump. The result signals a reduction of the "pink tide" and emergence of a "MAGA tide." Trump is leveraging trade talks to pressure Brazil's President Lula da Silva regarding Bolsonaro and alignment with China, reconfiguring power in the region. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215    US Pressure on Xi Jinping May Lead to Release of Jimmy Lai. Mark Simon is encouraged that President Trump plans to raise the fate of persecuted publisher Jimmy Lai with Xi Jinping. Simon believes China must resolve the "Jimmy Lai problem" but will likely demand concessions, such as sanctions relief. Lai's release, potentially via a humanitarian or commuted sentence route, would pave the way for the release of hundreds of other Hong Kong dissidents. 1215-1230 Trump's Tariff Policy Gains Victory in Trade Truce with China. Alan Tonelson assesses the US-China trade truce, viewing it as a major victory for President Trump's tariff policies. China agreed to delay rare earth export controls and buy US farm goods. This move is seen as desperate by Xi Jinping, whose economy is undermined by US technology curbs. China's predatory practices defined the relationship until Trump decided to use American leverage. 1230-1245 vUS Tariffs Drive Canada Toward Greater Economic Integration with China. Charles Burton discusses how US tariff aggression, fueled by Premier Doug Ford quoting Ronald Reagan to criticize US trade policy, is pushing Canada toward China. The uncertainty over Trump's response makes negotiating difficult, prompting speculation Canada may renew free trade talks with Beijing, remove investment restrictions, and possibly join the Belt and Road Initiative. 1245-100 AM Trump Demands Higher Defense Spending from New Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi. Lance Gatling reports on President Trump's visit to Tokyo and his meeting with the new Prime Minister, Takaichi. Trump is expected to demand increased defense spending. Takaichi plans to accelerate doubling the defense budget to 2% of GDP. A major concern is Trump asking Japan to stop buying energy from Russia, which supplies Japanese LNG. Takaichi enjoys surprisingly strong domestic support.

Burning Bright welcomes guest Zak Paine for a sprawling, high-energy dive into “RICO-Land,” an episode connecting every layer of corruption, from the NBA's mob ties to global criminal networks, election integrity, and the restructuring of world power under Trump's second administration. The pair weave together the threads of organized crime, the DOJ's RICO indictments, and Trump's global maneuvers with China, Russia, and Argentina, exploring how narrative warfare mirrors real-world justice operations. Along the way, they tackle the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi Jinping's internal purges, child trafficking networks, and why Trump's “controlled demolition” of globalism may be the key to rebuilding a sovereign world order. Thoughtful, darkly funny, and relentlessly analytical, this episode captures the fusion of geopolitics, narrative engineering, and faith in a world at the edge of revelation.

Katsiaryna Shmatsina, Eurasia Fellow at Lawfare, is joined by Beverly Ochieng, senior security analyst at Control Risks and non-resident expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), to examine how external powers compete for influence in Africa—and how African states are responding.They discuss the shifting priorities of the second Trump administration, including a “trade not aid” approach, stricter visa policies, and growing pressure on African governments to accept irregular migrants deported from the U.S.The conversation explores the evolving strategies of key players—the U.S., China, and Russia—alongside the rising influence of Turkey, the UAE, and the European Union's more diffuse forms of engagement.They also discuss public perceptions of foreign involvement, China's Belt and Road Initiative and its digital expansion, Russia's use of private military contractors and information operations, and the increasing role of African regional organizations in shaping the agenda.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Safeguarding Territorial Sovereignty, China-Pakistan Cooperation through Belt & Road Initiative | China Daily Podcast 3 by Capital FM

- Gold and Silver Market Analysis (0:09) - Studio Move and Upcoming Interviews (3:52) - Chinese AI Breakthrough and AI Model Development (6:59) - Amazon's Automation Plans (8:38) - Impact of Automation on the Workforce (22:00) - The Future of Human Labor and AI Integration (32:17) - The Role of AI in Society and Government Control (32:32) - The Importance of Preparedness and Self-Reliance (38:46) - The Ethical Implications of AI and Robotics (48:53) - The Role of AI in Communication and Reasoning (1:02:14) - AI Models and Human Interaction (1:20:13) - Trump Administration Announcements (1:22:33) - Gold and Silver Market Analysis (1:23:45) - Stable Coins and Treasury Market (1:38:21) - Silver Market Manipulation and Squeeze (1:50:15) - BRICS and Belt and Road Initiative (1:50:30) - Rare Earths and U.S.-China Trade Tensions (1:55:03) - AI and Job Replacement (2:00:09) - DeepSea OCR and Image Compression (2:15:36) - Manufacturing and Economic Strategy (2:18:33) For more updates, visit: http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport  NaturalNews videos would not be possible without you, as always we remain passionately dedicated to our mission of educating people all over the world on the subject of natural healing remedies and personal liberty (food freedom, medical freedom, the freedom of speech, etc.). Together, we're helping create a better world, with more honest food labeling, reduced chemical contamination, the avoidance of toxic heavy metals and vastly increased scientific transparency. ▶️ Every dollar you spend at the Health Ranger Store goes toward helping us achieve important science and content goals for humanity: https://www.healthrangerstore.com/ ▶️ Sign Up For Our Newsletter: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html ▶️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport ▶️ Join Our Social Network: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger ▶️ Check In Stock Products at: https://PrepWithMike.com

⚠️ This episode was recorded for UK Column. Please help us remain independent by supporting us.Jerm and Pepe Escobar, a veteran Brazilian journalist renowned for exposing the shadowy underbelly of global power structures, convened in a cafe within the Old City of Kashgar. Pepe elaborated on his 40-year career in on-the-ground journalism—from navigating conflict zones to revealing concealed geopolitical machinations—emphasising that authentic understanding arises from direct immersion, unlike the majority who now rely on remote, filtered data streams controlled by entrenched interests. He examined the ascendant influence of China and Central Asia, Russia's calculated manoeuvres against Western hegemony, the BRICS coalition as a subtle insurgency against dollar dominance, the Belt and Road Initiative forging alternative trade corridors to evade imperial constraints, and the impending disintegration of the West's faltering edifice, engineered by elite factions clinging to fading control in an emerging multipolar order.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Mohammed Alsudairi and Dr. Andrea Ghiselli join us to discuss their newly released book Narratives of Sino-Middle Eastern Futures. They challenge prevailing narratives that frame China's engagement in the Middle East primarily through the lens of U.S.–China rivalry and offer alternative perspectives by drawing on extensive Arabic and Chinese-language sources to highlight how regional actors themselves interpret and shape their relationships with Beijing. Drawing on Saudi Arabia and Syria as the two core case studies in their book, they show how regional  perceptions of China diverge sharply depending on various factors such as national capabilities and alignment with the United States. The conversation also examines China's diplomacy toward Iran, its muted response to the Israel–Iran conflict, and why both Chinese and regional leaders prefer to limit Beijing's security role. Dr. Alsudairi and Dr. Ghiselli conclude that the future of Sino–Middle Eastern relations will likely reflect cautious continuity—marked by pragmatic engagement and mutual restraint.   Dr. Alsudairi is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations of the Arabic Speaking World, Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, at the Australian National University. Prior to his appointment, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, working on a project examining the intersections between religion and infrastructure in the context of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Since 2015, he oversaw the development of the Asian Studies Program at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. More recently in 2022, he was awarded a research fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to work on his upcoming book manuscript.  Dr. Ghiselli is a Lecturer in International Politics in the Department of Social and Political Sciences, Philosophy, and Anthropology of the University of Exeter. He is also non-resident research fellow with the TOChina Hub and the Head of Research for its ChinaMed Project. He has previously worked in China at Fudan University for nine years. You can find an open access version of their book here.

This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute. Twelve years ago, China's Communist emperor, Xi Jinping, launched his so-called “Belt and Road Initiative.” It's used to colonize nations around the world, seducing and entrapping them with large investments in infrastructure and other projects.  Now, according to the formidable Chairman of the House Select CCP Committee, John Moolenaar, Xi seeks to do the same to us with the tantalizing promise of $1 trillion that would expand opportunities to subvert us from within by further penetrating our markets, elites and country.  My Present Danger: China Committee colleague, Brian Kennedy, and I similarly warned President Trump yesterday. We pointed out that accepting such a deal would be ill-advised on financial terms alone, given the vastly larger sums the Chinese Communists already extract from us – to say nothing of their determination to destroy this country. Just say “No,” Mr. President. This is Frank Gaffney.

From the bustling lanes of the world's largest bazaar in Urumqi to the state-of-the-art logistics hubs at its 17 land ports, Xinjiang is rapidly transforming its geographical advantages into robust economic strength. As China's vital gateway to the west, the region now hosts a comprehensive opening-up network, highlighted by the groundbreaking Pilot Free Trade Zone. This dynamic integration of cross-border trade, an expansive web of China-Europe freight trains, and vibrant cultural exchanges is weaving Xinjiang into the very fabric of the Belt and Road Initiative, cementing its role as a pivotal hub for continental connectivity.

Unveiling Uzbekistan: A Nation at the Crossroads of History and FutureJoin host Nick as he welcomes back acclaimed journalist and author Joanna Lillis to the Explaining History podcast. Seven years after her last appearance to discuss her book on Kazakhstan, "Dark Shadows," Joanna returns to shed light on the enigmatic nation of Uzbekistan, the subject of her new book, "Silk Mirage."This episode delves into the complexities of a country that was, for 25 years, one of the world's most brutal dictatorships and is now navigating a period of reform dubbed the "Uzbek Spring." Lillis, drawing on two decades of experience living in and reporting on Central Asia, provides a nuanced and insightful look into Uzbekistan's past, present, and future.In this episode, we explore:The core themes of "Silk Mirage," including Uzbekistan's political evolution, economic reforms, and the challenges of emerging from a dictatorship.The geopolitical significance of Uzbekistan, a nation positioned between the great powers of Russia and China, and its role in China's Belt and Road Initiative.The impact of the long war in neighbouring Afghanistan on Uzbekistan's security and foreign policy.The potential for economic transformation as Uzbekistan leverages its strategic location and young population.The cultural landscape of Uzbekistan, from its famous silk industry to a surprising and vast collection of avant-garde art hidden in the desert.The improving relations between Central Asian states and the region's growing presence on the world stage.Whether you're a history enthusiast, a follower of international affairs, or simply curious about a little-understood part of the world, this conversation with Joanna Lillis offers a captivating and essential guide to the fascinating and strategically important nation of Uzbekistan.Joanna's new book, "Silk Mirage," will be published by Bloomsbury on November 13th and is available for pre-order now. Support independent bookshops or order directly from the publisher where possible.Go Deeper: Visit our website at www.explaininghistory.org for articles and detailed explorations of the topics discussed.▸ Join the Conversation: Our community of history enthusiasts discusses episodes, shares ideas, and continues the conversation. Find us on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcast/Substack: https://theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com/▸ Support the Podcast: Explaining History is a listener-supported production. Your contribution helps us cover the costs of research and keep these conversations going. You can support the show and get access to exclusive content by becoming a patron.Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/explaininghistoryExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the bustling lanes of the world's largest bazaar in Urumqi to the humming logistics hubs at the region's 19 ports, Xinjiang is transforming its geographical advantage into economic strength. As China's gateway to the west, it now hosts a major network for opening-up, including the pioneering Pilot Free Trade Zone. This episode explores how cross-border trade, a web of China-Europe freight trains, and cultural exchanges are weaving Xinjiang into the very heart of the Belt and Road Initiative, making it a pivotal hub for continental connectivity. On the show: Niu Honglin, Laiming & Yushan.

How the Chinese Communist Party gets lost in translation and whether it's accidental or intentional. “The Belt and Road Initiative”, “community with a shared future for humankind”, “socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era” - the slogans and proclamations coming out of Beijing can sound abstract and bewildering. We examine the complex character of the language and how it's put to use by the CCP to understand why its message can get lost on the outside world.Contributor: Tom Lam Producer: Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov Presenter: Krassi Ivanova Twigg Music: Pete Cunningham

Jason W. Moore discusses the problematic history of the nature-society divide, his alternative world-ecology approach and the challenges of building socialism.   Shownotes Jason's personal website: https://jasonwmoore.com/ Jason at Binghamtom University: https://www.binghamton.edu/sociology/faculty/profile.html?id=jwmoore The World-Ecology Research Collective: https://worldecologynetwork.wordpress.com/ https://www.researchgate.net/lab/World-Ecology-Research-Collective-Jason-W-Moore Moore, J. W., & Patel, R. (2020).  A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things. A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/817-a-history-of-the-world-in-seven-cheap-things Moore, J. W. (2015). Capitalism in the Web of Life. Ecology and the Accumulation of Capital. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/74-capitalism-in-the-web-of-life for an overview of different approaches to conceptualizing society/capitalism and nature: https://www.historicalmaterialism.org/ecology-marxism-andreas-malm/ on Andreas Malm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Malm Malm, A. (2018). The Progress of this Storm. Nature and Society in a Warming World. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/574-the-progress-of-this-storm Malm, A. (2016). Fossil Capital. The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/135-fossil-capital Federici, S. (2004). Caliban and the Witch. Autonomedia. https://files.libcom.org/files/Caliban%20and%20the%20Witch.pdf on Ernst Haeckel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Haeckel see also the chapter on Haeckel and the German Monist League in: Gasman, D. (2017). The scientific Origins of National Socialism. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315134789/scientific-origins-national-socialism-daniel-gasman on Actor-Network Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor%E2%80%93network_theory on Bruno Latour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Latour on John Bellamy Foster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bellamy_Foster Bellamy, J. F. (2000) Marx's Ecology. Materialism and Nature. Monthly Review Press. https://ia904504.us.archive.org/9/items/526394/John%20Bellamy%20Foster.%20Marx%27s%20Ecology..pdf on Kohei Saito: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohei_Saito on Pietro Verri: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Verri Marx, K. (1976). Capital. A Critique of Political Economy. Volume One. Penguin. https://www.surplusvalue.org.au/Marxism/Capital%20-%20Vol.%201%20Penguin.pdf Marx's Theses on Feuerbach: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/theses/theses.htm Marx's Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/preface.htm Marx's and Engel's German Ideology: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/german-ideology/ Marx's Capital Vol. 3.: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1894-c3/ Marx's On The Jewish Question: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/jewish-question/ on Alfred Sohn-Rethel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Sohn-Rethel Machado, C. & Miguel, N. (2013). The Money of the Mind and the God of Commodities. The real abstraction according to Sohn-Rethel. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/48961/1/MPRA_paper_48961.pdf on Donna Haraway: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Haraway on the “Special Period” in Cuba: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Period on James Lovelock: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lovelock Lovelock, J. (1979). Gaia. A New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/gaia-9780198784883?cc=de&lang=en&# on “Social metabolism”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_metabolism on Raymond Williams: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Williams Smele, J. D. (2016). The ‘Russian' Civil Wars, 1916-1926. Ten Years that Shook the World. Hurst. https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-russian-civil-wars-1916-1926/ Engel-Di Mauro, S. (2021). Socialist States and the Environment. Lessons for Eco-Socialist Futures. Pluto Press. https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745340418/socialist-states-and-the-environment/ Amin, S. (1990). Delinking. Towards a Polycentric World. Zed Books. https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/delinking-9780862328030/ on material and energy flow accounting: see the chapter on that topic in: Bartelmus, P. (2008). Quantitative Eco-nomics. How sustainable are our economies. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4020-6966-6 Zeug, W. (2025). INDEP talk with Walther Zeug: Democratic Economic Planning through Cybernetics & Holistic Accounting. https://youtu.be/I4_8_lDfwEw?si=J-kdRzjIehZqPgs0 Kula, W. (2016). Measures and Men. Princeton University Press. https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691639079/measures-and-men Echterhölter, A. M. (2019). Quantification as Conflict. Witold Kula's Political Metrology and Its Reception in the West . Historyka : studia metodologiczne, 49, 117-141 . Article 9. https://journals.pan.pl/Content/114031/PDF/7%20ECHTERH%C3%96LTER.pdf on Max Weber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber on Double-entry bookkeeping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-entry_bookkeeping on “proletarian science”: Moore, J.W. (2025). Nature and other dangerous words: Marx, method and the proletarian standpoint in the web of life. Dialectical Anthropology. 49, 149–167. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10624-025-09775-x on Ecosystem services: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_service on the “Ecological footprint” concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_footprint on Thomas Müntzer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_M%C3%BCntzer on the Royal Botanic Gardens/Kew Gardens: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Botanic_Gardens_(Kew) on the Stakhanovite movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stakhanovite_movement on Cybernetics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics on Earth systems science: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_system_science Selcer, P. (2018). The Postwar Origins of the Global Environment. How the United Nations Built Spaceship Earth. Columbia University Press. https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-postwar-origins-of-the-global-environment/9780231166485/ Medina, E. (2014). Cybernetic Revolutionaries. Technology and Politics in Allende's Chile. MIT Press. https://uberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Eden_Medina_Cybernetic_Revolutionaries.pdf on Cybernetics in the Soviet Union: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics_in_the_Soviet_Union on the Transitional demand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transitional_demand see also: Trotsky's The Transitional Program: https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/ on the Green New Deal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_New_Deal on the European Green Deal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Green_Deal on Geoengineering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoengineering on Johan Rockström: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Rockstr%C3%B6m on Planetary boundaries: https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html Klein, N. (2015). This Changes Everything. Capitalism vs. the Climate. Penguin. https://thischangeseverything.org/book/ Kushi, S., & Toft, M. D. (2022). Introducing the Military Intervention Project: A New Dataset on US Military Interventions, 1776–2019. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 67(4), 752-779. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00220027221117546 on Allen Dulles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Dulles on Reinhard Gehlen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhard_Gehlen Talbot, D. (2016). The Devil's Chessboard. Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government. Harper Collins. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-devils-chessboard-david-talbot?variant=32207669559330 on the concept of the Deep State: Scott, P. D. (1996). Deep Politics and the Death of JFK. University of California Press. https://www.ucpress.edu/books/deep-politics-and-the-death-of-jfk/paper Scott, P. D. (2017). The American Deep State. Big Money, Big Oil, and the Struggle for U.S. Democracy. Rowman & Littlefield. https://archive.org/details/americandeepstat0000scot/page/n5/mode/2up Good, A. (2022). American Exception. Empire and the Deep State. Skyhorse Publishing. https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/9781510769144/american-exception/ on the origin of the concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_state_in_Turkey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susurluk_car_crash recently released files relating to the assassination of JFK on the website of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/release-2025 on the current state of knowledge on the Nord Stream Pipeline Explosion: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-is-known-about-nord-stream-gas-pipeline-explosions-2025-08-21/ on the Nord Stream Pipeline Explosion releasing massive Amounts of Methane: https://youtu.be/7KBsf7bX9Nc?si=tDIxlFFF2ThO6Aeb on Systems Dynamics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_dynamics the ‘Limits to Growth' Report, commissioned by the Club of Rome: https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/the-limits-to-growth/ the Club of Rome: https://www.clubofrome.org/ on Jay Wright Forrester: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Wright_Forrester on the concept of the Anthropocene: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropocene on James C. Scott: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_C._Scott Mies, M. & Bennholdt-Thomsen, V. (1999). The Subsistence Perspective. Beyond the Globalised Economy. Zed Books. https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/subsistence-perspective-9781856497763/ on the New Economic Policy (NEP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Economic_Policy on the Belt and Road Initiative: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative Nachmani, A. (1990). Civil War and Foreign Intervention in Greece: 1946-49. Journal of Contemporary History, 25(4), 489–522. https://www.jstor.org/stable/260759 on the “Soft Coup against the Wilson Labour Government”: https://www.declassifieduk.org/a-possible-coup-against-the-labour-government/ https://www.mi5.gov.uk/history/the-cold-war/the-wilson-plot https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/mar/15/comment.labour1 on the actions of the US against North Korea in the Korean War: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes_in_the_Korean_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_North_Korea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_biological_warfare_in_the_Korean_War on the Cultural Revolution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution on Mao's concept of the Mass Line: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/works/red-book/ch11.htm on Jung's concept of the Collective unconscious: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious on (Neo-)Malthusianism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malthusianism Ehrlich, P. R. (1971). The Population Bomb. Ballantine Books. http://pinguet.free.fr/ehrlich68.pdf Tainter, J. A. (1988). The Collapse of Complex Societies. Cambridge University Press. https://www.sustainable.soltechdesigns.com/Joseph-A-Tainter-The-collapse-of-complex-societies.pdf on Millenarianism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenarianism Enzensberger, H. M. (1978). Two Notes on the End of the World. New Left Review. I/110. https://newleftreview.org/issues/i110/articles/hans-magnus-enzensberger-two-notes-on-the-end-of-the-world Hansen, J. (2010). Storms of my Grandchildren. The Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity. Bloomsbury. https://www.bloomsbury.com/in/storms-of-my-grandchildren-9781408807460/ Sweezy, P.M. (1990). Monopoly Capitalism. In: Eatwell, J., Milgate, M., Newman, P. (eds) Marxian Economics. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-20572-1_44 on Technofeudalism: Varoufakis, Y. (2024). Technofeudalism. What Killed Capitalism. Penguin. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451795/technofeudalism-by-varoufakis-yanis/9781529926095 Durand, C. (2024). How Silicon Valley Unleashed Techno-feudalism. The Making of the Digital Economy. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/2790-how-silicon-valley-unleashed-techno-feudalism Culture, Power and Politics Podcast episode on the debate around the concept “Technofeudalism”: https://culturepowerpolitics.org/2025/07/04/is-capitalism-over-the-technofeudalism-debate/ Conservation International: https://www.conservation.org/ Earth League International: https://earthleagueinternational.org/ Rockström, J. et al. (2024). The Planetary Commons. A new Paradigm for Safeguarding Earth-regulating Systems in the Anthropocene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2301531121 the Trilateral Commission: https://www.trilateral.org/ the Earth Commission: https://earthcommission.org/ Johan Rockström's interview in the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/29/johan-rockstrom-interview-breaking-boundaries-attenborough-biden   Future Histories Episodes on Related Topics S3E44 | Anna Kornbluh on Climate Counteraesthetics https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e44-anna-kornbluh-on-climate-counteraesthetics/ S03E33 | Tadzio Müller zu solidarischem Preppen im Kollaps https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e33-tadzio-mueller-zu-solidarischem-preppen-im-kollaps/ S03E30 | Matt Huber & Kohei Saito on Growth, Progress and Left Imaginaries https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e30-matt-huber-kohei-saito-on-growth-progress-and-left-imaginaries/ S03E23 | Andreas Malm on Overshooting into Climate Breakdown https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e23-andreas-malm-on-overshooting-into-climate-breakdown/ S03E19 | Wendy Brown on Socialist Governmentality https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e19-wendy-brown-on-socialist-governmentality/   --- If you are interested in democratic economic planning, these resources might be of help: Democratic planning – an information website https://www.democratic-planning.com/ Sorg, C. & Groos, J. (eds.)(2025). Rethinking Economic Planning. Competition & Change Special Issue Volume 29 Issue 1. https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ccha/29/1 Groos, J. & Sorg, C. (2025). Creative Construction - Democratic Planning in the 21st Century and Beyond. Bristol University Press. [for a review copy, please contact: amber.lanfranchi[at]bristol.ac.uk] https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/creative-construction International Network for Democratic Economic Planning https://www.indep.network/ Democratic Planning Research Platform: https://www.planningresearch.net/ --- Future Histories Contact & Support If you like Future Histories, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/FutureHistories Contact: office@futurehistories.today Twitter: https://twitter.com/FutureHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehpodcast/ Mastodon: https://mstdn.social/@FutureHistories English webpage: https://futurehistories-international.com   Episode Keywords #JasonWMoore, #JanGroos, #Interview, #FutureHistories, #FutureHistoriesInternational, #futurehistoriesinternational, #DemocraticPlanning, #DemocraticEconomicPlanning, #PoliticalEconomy, #History, #Revolution, #Revolutions, #Ecology, #Environmental, #Colonialism, #Imperialism, #Capitalism, #Economics, #DeepState, #WorldEcology, #NatureSocietyDivide, #KarlMarx, #Socialism, #Cybernetics

BOOK TITLE: The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph over China AUTHOR: Jonathan DT Ward HEADLINE: China's Response to Geographical Weakness: Expansionism and Global Power Projection China has historically faced geographical weaknesses, lacking natural borders in regions like the Tibetan Plateau, Mongolian and Xinjiang Deserts, and the South China Sea. To address this, China, under Xi Jinping, is converting its global economic power into military power, initially focused on the Indo-Pacific. Their strategy includes the Belt and Road Initiative to consolidate economic geography across Eurasia and Africa, projecting military power globally, which defines an expansionist approach. 1950S PEKING UNIVERSITY

 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 5.mp3 Guests: Gordon Chang and General Blaine Holt, US Air Force General, retired. China's Historical Revisionism and Autocratic Alliances Gordon Chang and General Blaine Holtdiscuss China's military parade, led by Xi Jinping, which falsely claims Chinese victory over Japan in WWII, omitting the US and Allied contributions. Holt views the parade as theater for a crumbling Belt and Road Initiative, not a united front. They note India's absence from the parade due to animosity with China. Despite appearances, Putin and Kim Jong-un also have underlying animosity towards Xi Jinping, making their alliance one of expediency, not unity. 1906 

SHOW SCHEDULE  9-3-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR GOOD EVENING: The show begins in Beijing, watching the trio of Xi, Putin and Kim review the display of offensive weapons and offensive battalions. FIRST HOUR 9-915 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 1.mp3 Guest: Colonel Jeff McCausland, United States Army retired artilleryman, CBS News, Dickinson College visiting professor, and Diamond 6 Leadership and Strategy CEO. Global Geopolitics and Military Displays Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses a Beijing military parade featuring Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un, and Vladimir Putin, interpreting it as a message of strength and innovation, not peace, while downplaying the US role in WWII. He also covers the static battle lines in Ukraine, European proposals for a military force, and US involvement in Middle East conflicts in Yemen and Gaza, noting a tactical agreement with the Houthis. 915-930 : John Batchelor 09-03 segment 2.mp3 Guest: Colonel Jeff McCausland, United States Army retired artilleryman, CBS News, Dickinson College visiting professor, and Diamond 6 Leadership and Strategy CEO. Pentagon's Evolving Mission and Global Order Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses the new national military strategy emphasizing homeland defense as the primary mission for the Department of Defense, shifting from an international "cop on the beat" role to a domestic one. This is reflected in increased border forces and Caribbean operations. McCausland also touches on China's ambition to establish a new global order, returning to its perceived historical position as a superpower, utilizing organizations like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.930-945 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 3.mp3 Guest: John Cochrane at the Hoover Institution. Federal Reserve Independence and Financial Regulation John Cochrane explores the complex debate on whether financial regulation should be integrated with or separated from monetary policy and less independent of Congress. He raises concerns about the Fed's independence, its failure to foresee the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and the "too big to fail" phenomenon. Cochrane also discusses the risks of the Fed monetizing debt, its stance on stablecoins, and how its actions influence fiscal policy. 945-1000 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 4.mp3 Guest: John Cochrane of the Hoover Institution. Reforming the Federal Reserve's Role John Cochrane addresses proposals to reorganize the Federal Reserve, questioning whether it should become more political or have its scope narrowed to monetary policy, his preferred option. He criticizes the Fed'spandemic response, specifically its decision to print trillions of dollars for deficits, which he argues was a choice leading to the 2022 inflation. Cochrane also examines the wisdom of Quantitative Easing (QE), suggesting it had limited economic impact but expanded the Fed's political influence. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 5.mp3 Guests: Gordon Chang and General Blaine Holt, US Air Force General, retired. China's Historical Revisionism and Autocratic Alliances Gordon Chang and General Blaine Holtdiscuss China's military parade, led by Xi Jinping, which falsely claims Chinese victory over Japan in WWII, omitting the US and Allied contributions. Holt views the parade as theater for a crumbling Belt and Road Initiative, not a united front. They note India's absence from the parade due to animosity with China. Despite appearances, Putin and Kim Jong-un also have underlying animosity towards Xi Jinping, making their alliance one of expediency, not unity.1015-1030 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 6.mp3 Guests: Gordon Chang and Peter Huessy, President of Geostrategic Analysis, a fellow at the National Institute for Deterrent Studies. China's Nuclear Ambitions and Arms Control Challenges Peter Huessy describes China's nuclear weapons as tools for coercion and hegemonic goals, a stark contrast to the US view of deterrence. He notes China's rapid nuclear buildup, exceeding Soviet Union rates during the Cold War. Huessy and Gordon Chang discuss the imminent expiration of the New Start treaty with Russia and the absence of arms control talks with China, which has historically aided proliferation. This signals a "brave new world" with zero legal restraint on nuclear weapons.1030-1045 : John Batchelor 09-03 segment 7.mp3 Guests: Gordon Chang and Captain James Fanell, United States Navy retired, intelligence officer for the Seventh Fleet and for the Indo-Pacific Theater. Pacific Tensions: Philippines, China, and US Naval Strategy Captain James Fanell and Gordon Chang analyze China's strategic ambition to subjugate the Philippines, building militarized islands in the South China Sea. Fanell highlights Scarborough Shoal as a critical "cork in the bottle," potentially used by China as a military base. He notes the Philippines' new forward operating base with anti-ship missiles in the Bashi Channel as a counter. Fanell suggests a reinvigorated US Navymorale and a shift in the Pentagon's approach to deter China.1045-1100 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 8.mp3 Guests: Gordon Chang and Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the Lexington Institute. Venezuela, Guyana, and US Deterrence in the Caribbean Rebecca Grant discusses Guyana'sburgeoning oil wealth and Venezuela's threatening territorial claims under Maduro, who also opposes democracy. She and Gordon Chang analyze a significant US Navy presence off Venezuela's coast, including destroyers and a Marine Expeditionary Unit, as a strong deterrent against Maduro's actions and his alliances with Russia and China. Grantindicates improving morale and combat readiness within the US Navy, emphasizing its vital role in global operations. THIRD HOUR John Batchelor 09-03 segment 9.mp3 Guest: Brett Arends of Market Watch (Return on Investment). Bond Market Anxiety and Federal Reserve Pressures Brett Arends explains the bond market's current unhappiness stems from unsustainable national debt and uncertainty surrounding President Trump's tariffs. He clarifies that the Fedcontrols short-term rates, while the bond market sets long-term rates. Arends warns that Trump's pressure on the Fed to cut short-term rates could paradoxically cause long-term rates, including mortgage rates, to rise, hurting the economy and exacerbating market nervousness. He emphasizes the need for fiscal sustainability. 1100-1115 : John Batchelor 09-03 segment 9.mp3 Guest: Brett Arends of Market Watch (Return on Investment). Bond Market Anxiety and Federal Reserve Pressures Brett Arends explains the bond market's current unhappiness stems from unsustainable national debt and uncertainty surrounding President Trump's tariffs. He clarifies that the Fedcontrols short-term rates, while the bond market sets long-term rates. Arends warns that Trump's pressure on the Fed to cut short-term rates could paradoxically cause long-term rates, including mortgage rates, to rise, hurting the economy and exacerbating market nervousness. He emphasizes the need for fiscal sustainability. 1115-1130 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 10.mp3 Guest: Brett Arends of Market Watch. Addressing Bond Market Turmoil Brett Arends explains that the troubled bond market stems from unsustainable national debt and recent court rulings questioning President Trump's tariffs. He advises Donald Trump to support Federal Reserve independence, abandon attacks on Jerome Powell and Lisa Cook, and work with Congress on tariffs to ensure fiscal sustainability and calm market anxieties. Arends notes that gold's all-time high reflects a lack of market confidence.1130-1145 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 11.mp3 Guest: Bob Zimmerman who keeps the website Behind the Black. New Discoveries in Space and Planetary Science Bob Zimmerman highlights new solar research using the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter probe, improving predictions of solar events that impact Earth's technology. He discusses the uniqueness of stars, Juice's Venus flyby en route to Jupiter, and Mars' chaotic mantle structure. Zimmermanemphasizes Mars' ample near-surface ice, making it attractive for colonization, and presents an exoplanet found in an accretion disc, challenging planetary formation theories.1145-1200 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 12.mp3 Guest: Bob Zimmerman who keeps the website Behind the Black. NASA Unionization and SpaceX Milestones Bob Zimmerman addresses the recent executive order by President Trumpeliminating unions at NASA and other agencies, arguing that government unions are inefficient and costly. He then praises SpaceX's achievements, including a Falcon 9 first stage completing its 30th flight—a new reuse record. Zimmerman notes SpaceX is significantly reducing launch costs and enabling new space technologies like Starlink, also mentioning the reuse of a Starship super heavy booster. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 13.mp3 Guest: Simon Constable writing for The Wall Street Journal and other distinguished publications. European Politics, Commodities, and Digital Identity Debates Simon Constable reports on pleasant weather in the South of France and seasonal produce. He reviews commodity prices, noting gold's all-time high, coffee's surge, and orange juice's decline. Constable discusses political crises in France, with President Macronfacing a no-confidence vote, and the UK, where Keir Starmer struggles with spending cuts and migration. He advocates for digital national ID cards as the only reasonable solution to migration.1215-1230 : John Batchelor 09-03 segment 14.mp3 Guest: Simon Constable writing for The Wall Street Journal and other distinguished publications. The Rise of AI in Romance Simon Constable shares surprising polling data from the Kinsey Institute on romantic engagement with AI. He reveals that 16% of single adult Americans romantically interact with AI, with Gen Z being the most likely cohort at 33%. Furthermore, 44% of single Americans dating AI believe emotional support from an AI partner is superior to human support, highlighting a stark generational shift in romantic relationships.1230-1245 John Batchelor 09-03 segment 15.mp3 Guest: Janatyn Sayeh from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Iran's Nuclear Dilemma and Regional Threats Janatyn Sayeh discusses the looming snapback mechanism of the 2015 JCPOA, which could reinstate UN sanctions on Iran if it fails to comply with demands. Iran's non-compliance has its currency hitting new lows, yet Tehran threatens regional war and exiting the NPT if sanctions return. Sayeh notes Iran seeks rearmament, primarily from China, with Belarus and North Korea acting as potential intermediaries for Russian weapons.1245-100 AM John Batchelor 09-03 segment 16.mp3 Guest: Ivana Stradner from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Autocracy and Protests in the Western Balkans Ivana Stradner reports on mass protests in Belgrade demanding snap elections following a fatal accident and criticizing President Alexander Vučić's autocratic regime, which she likens to "Belarus 2.0". Vučić is accused of corruption and suppressing free media, while fostering close military and economic ties with China and Russia to maintain power and "blackmail" the West. Stradner expresses concern over the repression against Serbian people.

Keren speaks with Tayyab Safdar and Hasan H. Karrar about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a 3,000 km Chinese infrastructure network project currently under construction in Pakistan and a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC spans energy, highways, railways, and ports, aiming to connect China's western regions to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. For China, CPEC offers shorter routes for energy imports and trade; for Pakistan, it offers economic growth, industrialization, and greater regional connectivity. Tayyab Safdar is the Global Security & Justice Track Director; Assistant Professor of Global Studies & Engagements, A&S at the University of Virginia. His research explores the evolving dynamics of South-South Development Cooperation, with the rise of emerging powers in the developing world like China and India. His research also looks at the implications of increasing Chinese investment in developing countries that are a part of the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI), like Pakistan.Hasan H. Karrar is Associate Professor in the Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Lahore University of. Management Sciences. He researches transnational connections and geopolitical alignments between China, Central Asia and north Pakistan, as well as development, governance and securitization on state peripheries, and in the deployment and representation of Chinese economic and strategic power.Recommendations:Hasan:Study, think about, and pay attention to what is happening in PakistanVisit Pakistan!Tayyab:Pay attention to the local context (beyond nation-state-oriented views to more community-oriented views) when thinking about big projects like CPECAlso recommends visiting Pakistan Keren:Seeing China's Belt and Road, eds. Edward Schatz, Rachel Silvey (Oxford University Press, 2024)Thanks for listening! Follow us on BlueSky @beltandroadpod.blsk.social

As we get caught up in the Nation State V Nation State checker game of Geo Politics. In this short clip, the late Henry Kissinger explains that what we are & have been seeing for YEARS, has been in the works for a long time. And is all BY DESIGN. And the power on the Grand Chessboard is shifting from a Unipolar world order & US hegemony, to a Multipolar world order. With China's Belt & Road Initiative being a BIG driving force for this shift.

Founder of the Raising Capitalists Foundation and previous co-host of The Real Estate Guys Radio show, Russell Gray, joins Keith to discuss the historical and current devaluation of the U.S. dollar, its impact on investors, and the broader economic implications. Gray highlights how the significant increase in interest rates has trapped equity in properties and affected development. He explains the shift from gold-backed currency to paper money, the role of the Federal Reserve, and the impact of the Bretton Woods Agreement.  Gray emphasizes the importance of understanding macroeconomic trends and advocates for Main Street capitalism to decentralize power and promote productivity. He also criticizes the idea of housing as a human right, arguing it leads to inflation and shortages. Resources: Connect with Russell Gray to learn more about his "Raising Capitalists" project and his plans for a new show. Follow up with Russell Gray to get a copy of the Beardsley Rummel speech transcript from 1946. follow@russellgray.com Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/558 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”.  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai  Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, what's the real backstory on why we have this thing called the dollar? Why it keeps getting debased? What you can do about it and when the dollar will die? It's a lesson in monetary history. And our distinguished guest is a familiar voice that you haven't heard in a while. Today on get rich education.   Mid south home buyers, I mean, they're total pros, with over two decades as the nation's highest rated turnkey provider, their empathetic property managers use your ROI as their North Star. So it's no wonder that smart investors just keep lining up to get their completely renovated income properties like it's the newest iPhone. They're headquartered in Memphis and have globally attractive cash flows and A plus rating with a better business bureau and now over 5000 houses renovated. There's zero markup on maintenance. Let that sink in, and they average a 98.9% occupancy rate, while their average renter stays more than three and a half years. Every home they offer has brand new components, a bumper to bumper, one year warranty, new 30 year roofs. And wait for it, a high quality renter. Remember that part and in an astounding price range, 100 to 180k I've personally toured their office and their properties in person in Memphis, get to know Mid South. Enjoy cash flow from day one. Start yourself right now at mid southhomebuyers.com that's mid south homebuyers.com   Russell Gray  1:54   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  2:10   Welcome to GRE from St John's Newfoundland to St Augustine, Florida and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith weinholden. You are inside get rich education. It's 2025. The real estate market is changing. We'll get into that in future. Weeks today. Over the past 100 years plus, we've gone from sound money to Monopoly money, and we're talking about America's currency collapse. What comes next and how it affects you as both an investor and a citizen.   I'd like to welcome in longtime friend of the show and someone that I've personally learned from over the years, because he's a brilliant teacher, real estate investors probably haven't heard his voice as much lately, because until last year, he had been the co host of the terrific real estate guys radio show for nearly 20 years. Before we're done today, you'll learn more about what he's doing now, as he runs the Main Street capitalist platform and is also founder of the raising capitalists foundation. Hey, it's been a few years. Welcome back to GRE Russell Gray.   Russell Gray  3:19   yeah, it's fun. I actually think it's been maybe 10 years when I think about it, I remember I was at a little resort in Mexico recording with you, I think in the gym. It was just audio back then, no video.    Keith Weinhold  3:24   Yeah, I remember we're trying to get the audio right. Then I think you've been here more recently than 10 years ago. But yeah, now there's this video component. I actually have to sit up straight and comb my hair. It's ridiculous. Well, Russ, you're also a buff of monetary history. And before we discuss that, talk about the state of the real estate market today, just briefly, from your vantage point.   Russell Gray 1  3:55    I think the big story, and I'm probably not telling anybody anything they don't know, but the interest rate hike cycle that we went through this last round was quite a bit more substantial, I think, than a lot of people really appreciated, you know. And I started talking about that many years ago, because when you hit the zero bound and you have 6,7,8, years of interest rates below half a point, the change when they started that interest rate cycle from point two, 525 basis points all the way up to five and a quarter? That's a 20x move. And people might say, well, oh, you know, I go back to what Paul Volcker did way back in the day, when he took interest rates from eight or nine to 18. That was only a little bit more than double. Double is a far cry from 20x so we've never seen anything like that. Part of the fallout of that, as you know, is a lot of people wisely, and I was on the front end of cheerleading This is go get those loans refinanced and lock in that cheap money for as long as possible, because a loan will actually become an asset. The problem is, when you do that, you're kind of married to that property. Now it's not quite as bad. As being upside down in a property and you can't get out of it, but it's really hard to walk away from a two or 3% loan in a Six 7% market, because you really can't take your same payment and end up getting more house. And so that equity is kind of a little bit trapped, and that creates some opportunities, but I think that's been the big story, and then kind of the byproduct of the story. Second tier of the story was the impact it had on development, because it made it a lot harder for developers to develop, because their cost of funds and everything in that supply chain, food chain, you marry that to the 2020, COVID Supply Chain lockdown and that disruption, which, you know, you don't shut an economy down and just flick a switch and have it come back on. And so there's all of that. And then the third thing is just this tremendous uncertainty everybody has, because we just went from one extreme to another. And I think people, you know, they don't want to, like, rock the boat, they're going to kind of stay status quo for a little bit, whether they're businesses, whether they're homeowners, whether they're anybody out there that's thinking about moving them, unless life forces you to do it, you're going to try to stay status quo until things calm down. And I don't know how close we are to things calming down.   Keith Weinhold  6:13   One word I use is normalized. Both the 30 year fixed rate mortgage and the Fed funds rate are pretty close to their long term historic average. It just doesn't feel that way, because it was that rate of increase in 2022 that caught a lot of people off guard, like you touched on Well, Russ, now that we've talked about the present day, let's go back in time, and then we'll slowly bring things up to the present day. The dollar is troubled. It's worth perhaps 3% of what it was 100 years ago, but it's still around since it was established in the Coinage Act of 1792 and it's still the world reserve currency. In fact, only three currencies have survived longer than the dollar, the British pound, the Japanese yen and the Swiss franc. So talk to us about this really relentless debasement of the dollar over time, including the creation of the Fed and the Bretton Woods Agreement and all that.   Russell Gray 7:09   That's a big story, as you know, and I always like to try to break it down a little bit. One of my specialties I'd like to believe, is I speak macro and I speak Main Street. And so when I try to break macroeconomics down, I start out with, why do I even care? I mean, if I'm a main street investor, why do I even care? In 2008 as you know, is a wipeout for me. Why? Because I didn't think anything had happened in the macro I didn't think Wall Street bond market. I didn't think that affected me. One thing I really cared about was interest rates. And I had a cursory interest in the bond market. We just try to figure out where interest rates were going. But for the most part, I thought, as a main street real estate investor, I was 100% insulated. I couldn't have been more wrong, because it really does matter, because the value of the dollar, in other words, the purchasing power of the dollar, and usually you refer to that as inflation, right? If inflation is there, the dollar is losing its purchasing power, and so the higher the inflation rate, the faster you're losing that purchasing power. And you might say, well, maybe that matters to me. Maybe it does. But the people who make the money available to the mortgage community, right to the real estate community to borrow that comes out of the bond market. And so when people go to buy a bond, which is an IOU, they're going to get paid back in the currency that they lent in, in this case, dollars. And if they know, if they're making a long term investment in a long term bond, and they're going to get paid back in dollars, they're going to be worth a whole lot less when they get them back. One of the things they're going to want is compensation for that time risk, and that's called higher interest rates. Okay, so now, if you're a main street investor, and higher interest rates impact you, now you understand why you want to pay attention. Okay, so let's just start with that. And so once you understand that the currency is a derivative of money, and money used to be you mentioned the Coinage Act Keith money, which is gold, used to be synonymous with the dollar. The dollar was only a unit of measure of gold, 1/20 of an ounce. It was a unit of measure. So it's like, the way I teach people is, like, if you had a gallon of milk and you traded, I'm a farmer, and I had a lot of milk, and so everybody decided they were going to use gallons of milk as their currency. Hey, where there's a lot of gallons of milk. He's got a big refrigerator. We'll just trade gallons of milk. Hey, Keith, I really like your beef. I you know, will you sell me some, a side of beef, and I'll give you, you know, 100 gallons of milk, you know, like, Oh, that's great. Well, I can't drink all this milk, so I'm going to leave the milk on deposit at the dairy, and then later on, when I decide I want a suit of clothes, I'll say, well, that's 10 gallons of milk. So I'll give the guy 10 gallons of milk. So I just give him a coupon, a claim, a piece of paper for that gallon of milk, or 20 gallons of milk, and he can go to the dairy and pick it up, right? And so that's kind of the way the monetary system evolved, except it wasn't milk, it was gold. So now you got the dollar. Well, after a while, nobody's going to get the milk. They don't care about the milk. And so now. Now, instead of just saying, I'll give you a gallon of milk, you just say, well, I'll give you a gallon. And somebody says, Okay, that's great. I'll take a gallon. They never opened the jug up. They never realized the jug is empty. They're just trading these empty jugs that used to have milk in them. Well, that's what the paper dollar is today. It went from being a gold certificate payable to bearer on demand, a certain amount of gold, a $20 gold certificate, what looks exactly like a $20 FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE. Today they look exactly the same, except one says FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE, which is an IOU backed by nothing, and the other one said gold certificate, which was payable to bearer on demand, real money. So my point is, is he got money which is a derivative of the productivity, the beef, the soot, the milk, whatever, right? That's the real capital. The real capital is the goods and services we all want. Money is where we store the value of whatever it is we created until we want to trade it for something somebody else created later. And it used to be money and currency were one in the same, but now we've separated that. So now all we do is trade empty gallons, which are empty pieces of paper, and that's currency. So those are derivatives, and the last derivative of that chain is credit. And you had Richard Duncan on your show more than once, and he is famous for kind of having this term. We don't normally have capitalism. We have creditism, right? Everything is credit. Everything is claims on wealth, but it's not real wealth, and it's just when we look at what's going on with our current administration and the drive to become a productive rather than a financialized society, again, as part of this uncertainty that everybody has. Because this is not just a subtle little adjustment on the same course. This is like, No, we're we're going down a completely different path. But fundamentally, your system operates on this currency that is flowing through it, like the blood flowing through your body. And if the blood is bad, your body's sick. And right now, our currency is bad, and so it creates problems, not just for us, but all around the world. And now we're exacerbating that. And I'm not saying it's bad. In fact, I think it's actually it's actually good, but change is what it is, right? I mean, it can be really good to go to the gym and work out before we started recording, you talked about your commitment to fitness, and that if you stop working out, you get unfit, and it's hard to start up again. Well, we've allowed our economy to get very unfit. Now we're trying to get fit again, and it's going to be painful. We're going to be sore, but if we stick with it, I think we can actually kind of save this thing. So I don't know what that's going to mean for the dollar ultimately, or if we end up going to something else, but right now, to your point, the dollar is definitely the big dog still, but I think it's probably even more under attack today than it's ever been, and so it's just something I think every Main Street investor needs to pay attention to.    Keith Weinhold  12:46   And it was really that 1913 creation of the Fed, where the Fed's mandates really didn't begin to take effect until 1914 that accelerated this slide in the dollar. Prior to that, it was really just periods of war, like, for example, the Civil War, where we had inflation rise, but then after wars abated, the dollar's strength returned, but that ceased to happen last century.   Russell Gray  13:11   I think there's a much bigger story there. So when we founded the country, we established legal money in the Coinage Act of 1792 we got gold and silver and a specific unit of measure of gold, a specific unit, measure of silver was $1 and that's what money was constitutionally. Alexander Hamilton advocated for the first central bank and got it, but it was issued by Charter, which meant that it was operated by the permission of the Congress. It wasn't institutionalized. It wasn't embedded in the Constitution. It was just something that was granted, like a license. You have a charter to be able to run a bank. When that initial charter came up for renewal, Congress goes, now we're not going to renew it. Well, of course, that made the bankers really upset, because bankers have a pretty good gig, right? They get to just loan people money. They don't have to do any real work, and then they make money on just kind of arbitraging, you know, other people's money. Savers put their money in, and they borrowed the money out, and then they with fractional reserve, they're able to magnify that. So it's, it's kind of a cool gig. And so what happened? Then he had the first central bank, so then they got the second central bank, and the second central bank was also issued by charter this time when it came up for renewal, Congress goes, Yeah, let's renew it, right? Because the bankers knew we got to go buy a few congressmen if we want to keep this thing going. But President Andrew Jackson said, No, not going to happen. And it was a big battle. Is a famous quote of him just calling these bankers a brood of vipers. And I'm going to put you down. And God help me, I will, right? I mean, it was like intense fact, I do believe he got shot at one point. I think he died from lead poisoning, because he never got the bullet out. So, you know, when you go to up against the bankers, it's not pretty, but he succeeded. He was the last president that paid off all the debt, balanced budget, paid off all the debt, and we got kind of back on sound money. Well, then a little while later, said, Okay, we're going to need, like, something major, and this would. I should put on. I got my, this is my hat, right now, I'll kind of put it on. This is my, my tin foil hat. Okay? And so I put this on when I kind of go down the rabbit trail a little bit. No, I'm not saying this is what happened, but it wouldn't surprise me, right? Because I know that war is profitable, and so sometimes, you know, your comment was, hey, there's the bank, and then there was, you know, the war, or there's the war, then there's a bank, which comes first the chicken or the egg. I think there's an article where Henry Ford and Thomas Edison went to Congress. I think it was December. The article was published New York Tribune, December 4. I think 1921 you can look it up, New York Tribune, front page article   Keith Weinhold  15:38   fo those of you in the audio only. Russ started donning a tin foil looking hat here about one minute ago.    Russell Gray  15:45   I did, yeah, so I put it on. Just so fair warning. You know, I may go a little conspiratorial, but the reason I do that is I just, I think we've seen enough, just in current, modern history and politics, in the age of AI and software and freedom of speech and new media, there's a lot of weird stuff going on out there, but a lot of stuff that we thought was really weird a little while ago has turned out to be more true than we thought. When you look back in history, and you kind of read the official narrative and you wonder, you kind of read between the lines. You go, oh, maybe some stuff went on here. So anyway, the allegation that Ford made, smart guy, Thomas Edison, smart guy. And they go to Congress, and they go, Hey, we need to get the gold out of the banker's hands, because gold is money, and we need money not to revolve around gold, because the bankers control gold. They control the money, and they make profits, his words, not mine, by starting wars, because he was very upset about World War One, which happened. We got involved right after Fed gets formed in 1913 World War One starts in 1914 the United States sits off in the background and sells everybody, everything. It collects a bunch of gold, and then enters at the end and ends it all. And that big influx created the roaring 20s, as we all know, which ended big boom to big bust. And that cycle, which then a crisis that created, potentially a argument for why the government should have more control, right? So you kind of go down this path. So we ended up in 1865 with President Lincoln suppressing states rights and eventually creating an unconstitutional income tax and then creating an unconstitutional currency. That's what Abraham Lincoln did. And then on the back end of that, you know, it didn't end well for him, and I don't know why, but all I know is that we had a financial crisis in 1907 and the solution to that was the Aldrich plan, which was basically a monopoly on money. It's called a money trust. And Charles Lindbergh, SR was railing against it, as were many people at the time, going, No, this is terrible. So they renamed the Aldrich plan the Federal Reserve Act. And instead of going for a bank charter, they went for a constitutional amendment, and they got it in the 16th Amendment, and that's where we got the IRS. That's where we got the income tax, which was only supposed to be 7% only affect like the top one or 2% of earners, right? And that's where we got, you know, the Federal Reserve. That's where all that was born. Since that happened, to your point, the dollar has been on with a slight little rise up in the 20s, which, you know, there's a whole thing about whether that caused the crash or not. But at the end of the day, if you go look at St Louis Fed, which you go look at all the time, and you just look at the long term trend of the dollar, it's terrible. And the barometer, that's gold, right? $20 of gold in 1913 and 1933 and then 42 in 1971 or two, whatever it was, three, and then eventually as high as 850 but at the turn of the century, this century, it was $250 so at $2,500 it would have lost 90% in the 21st Century. The dollars lost 90% in the 21st Century, just to 2500 that's profound to go. That's right, it already lost more than 90% from $20 to 250 so it lost 90% and then 90% of the 10% that was left. And that's where we're at. We're worse than that. Today, no currency, as far as I understand, I've been told this. Haven't done the homework, but it's my understanding, no currency in the history of the world has ever survived that kind of debasement. So I think a lot of people who are watching are like, okay, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. And then the big question is, is when that when comes? What does the transition look like? What rises in its place? And then you look at things like a central bank digital currency, which is not like Bitcoin, it's not a crypto, it's a centrally controlled currency run by the central bank. If we get that, I would argue that's not good for privacy and security. Could be Bitcoin would be better. I would argue, could go back to gold backing, which I would say is better than what we have, or we could get something nobody's even thought of. I don't know. We don't know, but I do think we're at the end of the life cycle. Historically, all things being equal. And I think all the indication with a big run up of gold, gold is screaming something's broken. It's just screaming it right now, not just because the price is up, but who's buying it. It's just central banks.   Keith Weinhold  20:12   Central banks are doing most of the buying, right? It's not individual investors going to a coin shop. So that's really screaming, telling you that people are concerned. People are losing their faith in giving loans to the United States for sure. And Russ, as we talk about gold, and it's important link to the dollar over time, you mentioned how they wanted it, to get it out of the bank's hands for a while. Of course, there was also a period of time where it was illegal for Americans to own gold. And then we had this Bretton Woods Agreement, which was really important as well, where we ended up violating promises that had to do with gold again. So can you speak to us some more about that? Because a lot of people just don't understand what happened at Bretton Woods.   Russell Gray  20:56   What happened is we had the big crash in 1929 and the net result of that was, in 1933 we got executive order 6102 In fact, I have a picture of it framed, and that was in the wake of that in 1933 and so what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did in signing that document, which was empowered by a previous act of Congress, basically let him confiscate all The money. It'd be like right now if, right now, you know, President Trump signed an executive order and said, You have to take all your cash, every all the cash that you have out of your wallet. You have to send it all, take it into the bank, and they're going to give you a Chuck E Cheese token, right? And if you don't do it, if you do it, it's a $500,000 fine in 10 years in prison. Right? Back then it was a $10,000 fine, which was twice the price of the average Home huge fine, plus jail time. That's how severe it was, okay? So they confiscated all the money. That happened in 33 okay? Now we go off to war, and we enter the war late again. And so we have the big manufacturing operation. We're selling munitions and all kinds of supplies to everybody, all over the world, right? And we're just raking the gold and 20,000 tons of gold. We got all the gold. We got the biggest army now, we got the biggest bomb, we got the biggest economy. We got the strongest balance sheet. Well, I mean, you know, we went into debt for the war, but, I mean, we had a lot of gold. So now everybody else is decimated. We're the big dog. Everybody knows we're the big dog. Nine states shows up in New Hampshire Bretton Woods, and they have this big meeting with the world, and they say, Hey guys, new sheriff in town. Britain used to be the world's reserve currency, but today we're going to be the world's reserve currency. And so this was the new setup. But it's okay. It's okay because our dollar is as good as gold. It's backed by gold, and so anytime you want foreign nations, you can just bring your dollars to us and we'll give you the gold, no problem. And everyone's like, okay, great. What are you going to say? Right? You got the big bomb, you got the big army. Everybody needs you for everything to live like you're not going to say no. So they said, Yes, of course, the United States immediately. I've got a speech that a guy named Beardsley Rummel did. Have you ever heard me talk about this before? Keith, No, I've never heard about this. So Beardsley Rummel was the New York Fed chair when all this was happening. And so he gave a speech to the American Bar Association in 1945 and I got a transcript of it, a PDF transcript of it from 1946 and basically he goes, Look, income taxes are obsolete. We don't need income tax anymore because we can print money, because we're off the gold standard and we have no accountability. We just admitted it, just totally admitted it, and said the only reason we have income tax is to manipulate behavior, is to redistribute wealth, is to force people to do what we want them to do, punish things and reward others, right? Just set it plain language. I have a transcript of the speech. You can get a copy of you send an email to Rummel R U, M, L@mainstreetcapitalist.com I'll get it to you. So it's really, really interesting. So he admitted it. So we went along in the 40s and the 50s, and, you know, we had the only big manufacturing you know, because everybody else is still recovering from the war. Everything been bombed to smithereens, and we're spending money and doing all kinds of stuff. And having the 50s, it was great, right, right up until the mid 60s. So the mid 60s, it's like, Okay, we got a problem. And Charles de Gaulle, who was the president of France at the time, went to a meeting. And there's a YouTube video, but you can see it, he basically told the world, hey, I don't think the United States is doing a good job managing this world's reserve currency. I don't think they've got the gold. I think they printed too much money. I think that we should start to go redeem our dollars and get the gold. That was pretty forward thinking. And he created a run on the bank. And at the same time, we passed the Coinage Act in 1965 and took all the silver out of the people's money. So we took the gold in 33 and then we took the silver in 65 right? Because we got Vietnam and the Great Society, welfare, all these things were going on in the 60s. We're just going broke. Meanwhile, our gold supply went from 20,000 tons down to eight and Richard. Nixon is like, whoa, time out. Like, this is bad. And so we had inflation in 1970 August 15, 1971 year before August 15, 1971 1970 Nixon writes an executive order and freezes all prices and all wages. It became illegal by presidential edict for a private business to give their employee a raise or to raise their prices to the customers.    Keith Weinhold  25:30   It's almost if that could happen price in theUnited States of America, right?    Russell Gray  25:36   And inflation was 4.4% and it was a national emergency like today. I mean, you know, a few years ago, like three or four years ago, we if we could get it down 4.4% it'd be Holly. I'd be like a celebration. That was bad. And so that's what happened. So a year later, that didn't work. It was a 90 day thing. It was a disaster. And so in a year later, August 15, 1971 Nixon came on live TV after Gunsmoke. I think it was, and I was old enough I'm watching TV on a Sunday night I watched it. Wow. So I live, that's how old I am. So it's a lot of this history, not the Bretton Woods stuff, but from like 1960 2,3,4, forward. I remember I was there.    Keith Weinhold  26:13   Yeah, that you remember the whole Nixon address on television. We should say it for the listener that doesn't know. Basically the announcement Nixon made, he said, was a temporary measure, is that foreign nations can no longer redeem their dollars for gold. He broke the promise that was made at Bretton Woods in about 1945   Russell Gray  26:32   Yeah. And then gold went from $42 up to 850 and a whole series of events that have led to where we're at today were put in place to cover up the fact that the dollar was failing. We had climate emergency. We were headed towards the next global Ice Age. We had an existential threat in two different diseases that hit one right after the other. First one was the h1 n1 flu, swine flu, and then the next thing was AIDS. And so we had existential pandemic, two of them. We also had a oil shortage crisis. We were going to run out of fossil fuel by the year 2000 we had to do all kinds of very public, visible, visceral things that we would all see. You could only buy gas odd even days, like, if your license plate ended in an odd number, you could go on these days, and if it ended on an even number, you could go on the other days. And so we had that. We lowered our national speed limit down to 55 miles an hour. We created the EPA and all these different agencies under Jimmy Carter to try to regulate and manage all of this crisis. Prior to that, Nixon sent Kissinger over to China, and we opened up trade relations. And we'd been in Vietnam to protect the world from communism because it was so horrible. And then in the wake of that, we go over to Communist China, Chairman Mao and open up trade relations. Why we needed access to their cheap labor to suck up all the inflation. And we went over to the Saudis, and we cut the petro dollar deal. Why? Because we needed the float. We needed some place for all these excess dollars that we had created to get sucked up. And so they got sucked up in trading the largest commodity in the world, energy. And the deal was, hey, Saudis, here's the deal. You like your kingdom? Well, we got the big bomb. We got the big army. You're going to rule the roost in the in the Middle East, and we'll protect you. All you got to do is make sure you sell all your oil in dollars and dollars only. And they're like, Well, what if we're selling oil to China, or what if we're selling oil to Japan? Can they pay in yen? Nope, they got to sell yen. Buy dollars. Well, what do we do with all these dollars? Buy our treasuries. Okay, so what if I got this? Yeah, and so that was the petrodollar system. And the world looked at everything went on, and the world is like, Hmm, the United States coming back to Europe, and Charles de Gaulle, they're like, the United States is not handling this whole dollar thing real well. We need an alternative. What if all of us independent nations in Europe got together and created a common currency? We don't want to be like one country, like the United States, but we want to be like an economic union. So let's create a current let's call it the euro. And they started that process in the 70s, but they didn't get it done till 99 and so they get it done in 99 as soon as they get it done, this guy named Saddam Hussein goes, Hey, I'm now the big dog here. I got the fourth largest army in the world. I'm here in, you know, big oil producing nation. Let's trade in the euro. Let's get off the dollar. Let's do oil in the euro. And he's gone. I'm not sure I should put my hat back on. I'm not sure, but somehow we went into Afghanistan and took a hard left and took this guy out.   Keith Weinhold  29:44   Some credence to this. Yes, yeah, so. But with that said,   Russell Gray  29:47   you know, we ended up with the Euro taking about 20% of the global trade market from the United States, which is about where it sits today. And the United States used to be up over 80% and now we're down below 60% still. The Big Dog by triple and the euro is not in a position to supplant the US, but I think China, whose claim to fame is looking at other people's technology and models and copying it, looked at what the United States did to become the dominant economic force, and I think they've systematically been copying it. I wrote a report on this way back in 2013 when I started really paying attention to it and began to chronicle all the things that they were doing, this big D dollarization movement that I think still has legs. It's the BRICS movement. It's all the central banks buying gold. It's the bilateral trade agreements where people are doing business outside the dollar. There's been not just that, but also putting together the infrastructure, right? The Asian Infrastructure Bank is an alternative to the IMF looking, if you have you read Confessions of an economic hitman. No. Okay, so this is a guy that used to work in the government, I think, CIA or something, and he would go down and he'd cut deals with leaders of countries to get them to borrow from the United States to put in key infrastructure so they could trade with the US. And then, of course, if they defaulted, then the US owned that in the infrastructure. You can look it up. His name is Perkins, right. Look it up confessions of economic hit now, but you see China doing the same thing. China's got their Belt and Road Initiative. And you go through, and if you want to trade with China on that route, you have traded, you're gonna have to have infrastructure. You can eat ports. You're gonna need terminals for distribution. But you, Oh, you don't have the money. We'll loan it to you, and we'll loan it to you and you want. Now we're creating demand for you want, and we also are enslaving borrower servant to the lender. We're beginning to enslave these other nations under the guise of helping them by financing their growth so they can do business with us. It's the same thing the United States did and Shanghai Gold Exchange, as opposed to the London Bullion exchange. So all of the key pieces of infrastructure that were put in place to facilitate Western hegemony in the financial markets the Chinese have been systematically putting in place with bricks, and so there's a reason we're in this big trade war right now. We recognize that they had started to get in a position where they were actually a real threat, and we got to cut their legs out from underneath them before they get any stronger. Again, I should put my hat back on. Nobody's calling me up and telling me, I'm just reading between the lines. Sure,   Keith Weinhold  32:23   there certainly are more competitors to the dollar now. And can you imagine what rate of inflation that we would have had if we had not outsourced our labor and productivity over to a low wage place like China in the east? Russ and I have been talking about the long term debasement of the dollar and why. More on that when we come back, including what Russ is up to today. You're listening to get rich education. Our guest is Russell Gray. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat with President Chaley Ridge personally while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com that's Ridge lendinggroup.com. You know what's crazy? Your bank is getting rich off of you. The average savings account pays less than 1% it's like laughable. Meanwhile, if your money isn't making at least 4% you're losing to inflation. That's why I started putting my own money into the FFI liquidity fund. It's super simple. Your cash can pull in up to 8% returns, and it compounds. It's not some high risk gamble like digital or AI stock trading. It's pretty low risk because they've got a 10 plus year track record of paying investors on time, in full every time. I mean, I wouldn't be talking about it if I wasn't invested myself. You can invest as little as 25k and you keep earning until you decide you want your money back. No weird lockups or anything like that. So if you're like me and tired of your liquid funds just sitting there doing nothing. Check it out. Text family, 266, 866, to learn about freedom family investments, liquidity fund again. Text family, 266, 866,   Garrett Sutton  34:36   hi. This is Rich Dad advisor, Garrett Sutton. You're listening to the always valuable. Get rich education with Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.    Keith Weinhold  34:52   Welcome back to get rich education. We're talking with the main street capitalists Russell gray about this long term debasement of the dollar. It's an. Inevitable. It's one of the things we actually can forecast with pretty good predictability that the dollar will continue to debase. It's one of the few almost guarantees that we have in investing. So we can think about how we want to play that Russ one thing I wonder about is, did we have to completely de peg the dollar from gold? Couldn't we have just diluted it where we could instead say, Well, hey, now, instead of just completely depegging the dollar from gold, we could say, well, now it takes 10 times as many dollars as it used to to redeem it for an ounce of gold. Did it make it more powerful that we just completely de pegged it 100%   Russell Gray  35:36   it would disempower the monopoly. Right? In other words, I think that the thing from the very beginning, was scripted to disconnect from the accountability of gold, which is what sound money advocates want. They want some form of independent Accountability. Gold is like an audit to a financial system. If you're the bankers and you're running the program, the last thing in the world you want is a gold standard, because it limits your ability to print money out of thin air and profit from that. So I don't think the people who are behind all of this are, in no way, shape or form, interested in doing anything that's going to limit their power or hold them accountable. They want just the opposite. I think if they could wave a magic wand and pick their solution to the problem, it would be central bank digital currency, which would give them ultimate control. Yeah. And it wouldn't surprise me if we maybe, perhaps, were on a path where some crises were going to converge, whether it's opportunistic, meaning that the crisis happened on its own, and quote Rahm Emanuel and whoever he was quoting, you know, never let a good crisis go to waste, and you're just opportunistic, or, you know, put the conspiracy theory hat on, and maybe these crises get created in order to facilitate the power grab. I don't know. It really doesn't matter what the motives are or how it happens at the end of the day, it's what happens. It happened in 33 it happened in 60. In 71 it's what happens. And so it's been a systematic de pegging of any form of accountability. I mean, we used to have a budget ceiling. We used to talk about now it's just like, it's routine. You blow right through it, right, right. There's you balance. I mean, when's the last time you even had a budget? Less, less, you know, much less anything that looked like a valid balanced budget amendment. So I think there's just no accountability other than the voting booth. And, you know, I think maybe you could make the argument that whether you like Trump or not, the public's apparent embrace of him, show you that the main street and have a lot of faith in Main Street. I think Main Street is like, you know what? This is broken. I don't know what's how to fix it, but somebody just needs to go in and just tear this thing down and figure out a new plant. Because I think if you anybody paying attention, knows that this perpetual debasement, which is kind of the theme of the show is it creates haves and have nots. Guys like you who understand how to use real estate to short the dollar, especially when you marry it to gold, which is one of my favorite strategies to double short the dollar, can really magnify the power of inflation to pull more wealth onto your balance sheet. Problem is the people who aren't on that side of the coin are on the other side of the coin, and so the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. Well, the first order of business in a system we can't control is help as many people be on the rich get richer. That's why we had the get rich show, right? Let's help other people get rich. Because if I'm the only rich guy in the room, all the guns are pointed at me, right? I wanted everybody as rich as possible. I think Trump and Kiyosaki wrote about that in their book. Why we want you to be rich, right? When everybody's prospering, it's it's better, it's safer, you have people to trade with and whatnot, but we have eviscerated the middle class because industry has had to go access cheap labor markets in order to compensate for this inflation. And you know, you talk about the Fed mandate, which is 2% inflation, price inflation, 2% so if you say something that costs $1 today, a year from now, is going to cost $1 too, you think, well, maybe that's not that bad. But here's the problem, the natural progression of Business and Technology is to lower the cost, right? So you have something cost $1 today, and because somebody's using AI and internet and automation and robots and all this technology, right? And the cost, they could really sell it for 80 cents. And so the Fed looks at and goes, Let's inflate to $1.02 that's not two cents of inflation. That's 22 cents of inflation. And so there's hidden inflation. The benefits of the gains in productivity don't show up in the CPI, but it's like deferred maintenance on an apartment building. You can make your cash flow look great if you're not setting anything aside for the inevitable day when that roof is going to go out and that parking lot is going to need to be repaved, right? And you don't know how far out you are until you get there and you're like, wow, I'm really short, and I think that we have been experiencing for decades. The theft of the benefit of our productivity gains, and we're not just a little bit out of position. We're way out of position. That's   Keith Weinhold  40:07   a great point. Like I had said earlier, imagine what the rate of inflation would be if we hadn't outsourced so much of our labor and productivity to low cost China. And then imagine what the rate of inflation would be as well, if you would factor in all of this increased productivity and efficiency, the natural tendencies of which are to make prices go lower as society gets more productive, but instead they've gone higher. So when you adjust for some of these factors, you just can't imagine what the true debased purchasing power of the dollar is. It's been happening for a long time. It's inevitable that it's going to continue to happen in the future. So this has been a great chat about the history and us understanding what the powers that be have done to debase our dollar. It's only at what rate we don't know. Russ, tell us more about what you're doing today. You're really out there more as a champion for Main Street in capitalism.   Russell Gray  41:04   I mean, 20 years with Robert and the real estate guys, and it was fantastic. I loved it. I went through a lot, obviously, in 2008 and that changed me a little bit. Took me from kind of being a blocking and tackling, here's how you do real estate, and to really understanding macro and going, you know, it doesn't matter. You can do like I did, and you build this big collection. Big collection of properties and you lose it all in a moment because you don't understand macro. So I said, Okay, I want to champion that cause. And so we did that. And then we saw in the 2012 JOBS Act, the opportunity for capital raisers to go mainstream and advertise for credit investors. And I wrote a report then called the new law breaks Wall Street monopoly. And I felt like that was going to be a huge opportunity, and we pioneered that. But then after my late wife died, and I had a chance to spend some time alone during COVID, and I thought, life is short. What do I really want to accomplish before I go? And then I began looking at what was going on in the world. I see now a couple of things that are both opportunities and challenges or causes to be championed. And one is the mega trend that I believe the world is going you know, some people call it a fourth turning whatever. I don't consider that kind of we have to fall off a cliff as Destiny type of thing to be like cast in stone. But what I do see is that people are sick and tired of monopolies. We're sick and tired of big tech, we're sick and tired of big media, we're sick and tired of big government. We're sick and tired of big corporations, we don't want it, and big banks, right? So you got the rise of Bitcoin, you got people trying to get out from underneath the Western hegemony, as we've been talking about decentralization of everything. Our country was founded on the concept of decentralization, and so people don't understand that, right? It used to be everything was centralized. All powers in the king. Real Estate meant royal property. That's what real estate it's not like real asset, like tangible it's royal estate. It's royal property. Everything belonged to the king, and you just got to work it like a serf. And then you got to keep 75% in your produce, and you sent 25% you sent 25% through all the landlords, the land barons, and all the people in the hierarchy that fed on running things for the king, but you didn't own anything. Our founder set that on, turn that upside down, and said, No, no, no, no, no, it's not the king that's sovereign. It's the individual. The individual is sovereign. It isn't the monarchy, it's the individual states. And so we're going to bring the government, small. The central government small has only got a couple of obligations, like protect the borders, facilitate interstate commerce, and let's just have one common currency so that we can do business together. Other than that, like, the state's just going to run the show. Of course, Lincoln kind of blew that up, and it's gotten a lot worse after FDR, so I feel like we're under this big decentralization movement, and I think Main Street capitalism is the manifestation of that. If you want to decentralize capitalism, the gig economy, if you want to be a guy like you, and you can run your whole business off your laptop with a microphone and a camera, you know, in today's day and age with technology, people have tasted the freedom of decentralization. So I think the rise of the entrepreneur, I think the ability to go build a real asset portfolio and get out of the casinos of Wall Street. I think right now, if we are successful in bringing back these huge amounts of investment, Trump's already announced like two and a half or $3 trillion of investment, people are complaining, oh, the world is selling us. Well, they're selling stocks and they're selling but they're putting the money actually into creating businesses here in the United States that's going to create that primary driver, as you well know, in real estate, that's going to create the secondary and tertiary businesses, and the properties they're going to use all kinds of Main Street opportunity are going to grow around that. I lived in Silicon Valley, when a company would get funded, it wasn't just a company that prospered, it was everything around that company, right? All these companies. I remember when Apple started. I remember when Hewlett Packard, it was big, but it got a lot bigger, right there. I watched all that happen in Silicon Valley. I think that's going to happen again. I think we're at the front end of that. And so that's super exciting. Wave. The second thing that is super important is this raising capitalist project. And the reason I'm doing it is because if we don't train our next generation in the principles of capitalism and the freedom that it how it decentralizes Their personal economy, and they get excited about Bitcoin, but that's not productive. I'm not putting it down. I'm just saying it's not productive. You have to be productive. You want to have a decentralized currency. Yes, you want to decentralize productivity. That's Main Street capitalism. If kids who never get a chance to be in the productive economy get to vote at 1819, 2021, 22 before they've ever earned a paycheck, before they have any idea, never run a business. Somebody tells them, hey, those guys that have all that money and property, they cheated. It's not fair. We need to take from them. We need to limit them, not thinking, Oh, well, if I do that, when I get to be there, that what I'm voting for is going to get on me. Right now, Keith, there are kids in ninth grade who are going to vote for your next president, right?   Keith Weinhold  45:56   And they think capitalism is evil. This is part of what you're doing with the raising capitalists project, helping younger people think differently. Russ, I have one last thing to ask you. This has to do with the capitalism that you're championing on your platforms now. And real estate, I continue to see sometimes I get comments on my YouTube channel, especially maybe it's more and more people increasingly saying, Hey, I think housing should be a human right. So talk to us about that. And maybe it's interesting, Russ, if I take the other side of it and play devil's advocate, people who think housing is a human right, they say something like, the idea is that housing, you know, it's a fundamental need, just like food and clean water and health care are without stable housing. It's incredibly hard for a person to access opportunities like work and education or health care or participate meaningfully in society at all. So government ought to provide housing for everybody. What are your thoughts there?   Russell Gray  46:54   Well, it's inherently inflationary, which is the root cause of the entire problem. So anytime you create consumption without production, you're going to have more consumers than producers, and so you're going to have more competition for those goods. The net, net truth of what happens in that scenario are shortages everywhere. Every civilization that's ever tried any form of system where people just get things for free because they need them, end up with shortages in poverty. It doesn't lift everybody. It ruins everything. I mean, that's not conjecture. That's history, and so that's just the way it works. And if you just were to land somebody on a desert island and you had an economy of one, they're going to learn really quick the basic principles of capitalism, which is production always precedes consumption, always 100% of the time, right? If you're there on that desert island and you don't hunt fish or gather, you don't eat, right? You don't get it because, oh, it's a human right to have food. Nope, it's a human right to have the right to go get food. Otherwise, you're incarcerated, you have to have the freedom of movement to go do something to provide for yourself, but you cannot allow people to consume without production. So everybody has to produce. And you know, if you go back to the Plymouth Rock experiment, if you're familiar with that at all, yeah, yeah. So you know, just for anybody who doesn't know, when the Pilgrims came over here in the 1600s William Bradford was governor, and they tried it. They said, Hey, we're here. Let's Stick Together All for one and one for all. Here's the land. Everybody get up every day and work. Everybody works, and everybody eats. They starved. And so he goes, Okay, guys, new plan. All right, you wine holds. See this little plot of land, that's yours. You work it. You can eat whatever you produce. Over there, you grace. You're going to do yours and Johnson's, you're going to do yours, right? Well, what happened is now everybody got up and worked, and they created more than enough for their own family, and they had an abundance. And the abundance was created out of their hunger. When they went to serve their own needs, they created abundance forever others. That's the premise of capitalism. It's not the perfect system. There is no perfect system. We live in a world where human beings have to work before they get to eat. When I say eat, it could be having a roof over their head. It could be having clothes. It could be going on vacation. It could be having a nice car. It could be getting health care. It doesn't matter what it is, whatever it is you need. You have the right, or should have, the right, in a free system to go earn that by being productive, but the minute somebody comes and says, Oh, you worked, and I'm going to take what you produced and give it to somebody else who didn't, that's patently unfair, but economically, it's disastrous, because it incentivizes people not to work, which creates less production, more consumption. I have another analogy with sandwich makers, but you can imagine that if you got a group if you got a group of people making sandwiches, one guy starts creating coupons for sandwiches. Well then if somebody says, Okay, well now we got 19 people providing for 20. That's okay, but then all the guys making sandwiches. Why making sandwiches? I'm gonna get the coupon business pretty soon. You got 18 guys doing coupons, only two making sandwiches. Not. Have sandwiches to go around all the sandwiches cost tons of coupons because we got way more financialization than productivity, right? That's the American economy. We have to fix that. We can't have people making money by just trading on other people's productivity. We have to have people actually being productive. This is what I believe the administration is trying to do, rebuild the middle class, rebuild that manufacturing base, make us a truly productive economy, and then you don't have to worry about these things, right? We're going to create abundance. And if you don't have the inflation is which is coming from printing money out of thin air and giving to people who don't produce, then housing, all sudden, becomes affordable. It's not a problem. Health care becomes affordable. Everything becomes affordable because you create abundance, because everybody's producing the system is fundamentally broken. Now we have to learn how to profit in it in its current state, which is what you teach people how to do. We also have to realize that it's not sustainable. We're on an unsustainable path, and we're probably nearing that event horizon, the path of no return, where the system is going to break. And the question is, is, how are you going to be prepared for it when it happens? Number two, are you going to be wise enough to advocate when you get a chance to cast a vote or make your voice heard for something that's actually going to create prosperity and freedom versus something that's going to create scarcity and oppression? And that's the fundamental thing that we have to master as a society. We got to get to our youth, because they're the biggest demographic that can blow the thing up, and they're the ones that have been being indoctrinated the worst.   Keith Weinhold  51:29   Yes, Fed Chair Jerome Powell himself said that we live in a economic system today that is unsustainable. Yes, the collectivism we touched on quickly descends into the tyranny of the majority. And in my experience, historically, the success of public housing projects has been or to mixed at best, residents often don't respect the property when they don't have an equity stake in it or even a security deposit tied up in it, and blight and high crime rates have often followed with these public housing projects. When you go down that path of making housing as a human right, like you said earlier, you have a right to go procure housing for yourself, just not to ask others to pay for it for you. Well, Russ, this has been great. It's good to have your voice back on the show. Here again, here on a real estate show. If people want to connect with you, continue to see what you've been up to and the good projects that you're working on, promoting the virtues of capitalism. What's the best way for them to do that?   Russell Gray  52:31   I think just send an email to follow at Russell Gray, R, U, S, S, E, L, L, G, R, A, y.com, let you know where I am on social media. I'll let you know when I put out new content. I'll let you know when I'm a guest on somebody somebody's show and I'm on the cusp of getting my own show finally launched. I've been doing a lot of planning to get that out, but I'm excited about it because I do think, like I said, The time is now, and I think the marketplace is ripe, and I do speak Main Street and macro, and I hope I can add a nuance to the conversation that will add value to people.   Keith Weinhold  53:00   Russ, it's been valuable as always. Thanks so much for coming back onto the show. Thanks, Keith.   Yeah, terrific, historic outline from Russ about the long term decline of the dollar. It's really a fresh reminder and motivator to keep being that savvy borrower. Of course, real estate investors have access to borrow giant sums of dollars and short the currency that lay people do not. In fact, lay people don't even understand that it's a viable strategy at all. Like he touched on, Russ has really been bringing an awareness about how decentralization is such a powerful force that reshapes society. In fact, he was talking about that the last time that I saw him in person a few months ago. Notably, he touched on Nixon era wage and price controls. Don't you find it interesting? Fascinating, really, how a few weeks ago, Trump told Walmart not to pass tariff induced price increases onto their customers. Well, that's a form of price control that we're seeing today to our point, when we had the father of Reaganomics, David Stockman here on the show, five weeks ago, tariffs are already government intervention into the free market, and then a president telling private companies how to set their prices, that is really strong government overreach. I mean, I can't believe that more people aren't talking about this. Maybe that's just because this cycle started with Walmart, and that's just doesn't happen to be a company that people feel sorry for. Hey, well, I look forward to meeting you in person in Miami in just four days, as I'll be a faculty member for when we kick off the terrific real estate guys Investor Summit and see and really getting to know you, because we're going to spend nine days together. Teaching, learning and having a great time on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Until then, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 3  55:13   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  55:36   You know whatever you want, the best written real estate and finance info. Oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access and it's got pay walls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers. It's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. 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