Day: March 9, 2025

While China has spent the past 12 years growing its friend circle through its $1 trillion Belt and Road infrastructure program, the U.S. has struggled to come up with a comprehensive response. Could President Trump’s more aggressive approach to diplomacy mean Beijing will meet greater resistance, or will it open more doors for Xi Jinping? In the final episode of our three-part series, “Building Influence,” WSJ reporter Vera Bergengruen, Harvard Kennedy School’s Rana Mitter and the Council on Foreign Relations’ David Sacks discuss how the U.S. has tried to push back on Beijing’s expanding footprint so far, and former Trump administration officials J. Peter Pham and David Malpass weigh in on how the president could counter China. Daniel Bach hosts. Check out the full series, or catch up on the first and second parts. Further Reading: How China Capitalized on U.S. Indifference in Latin America How the U.S. Is Derailing China’s Influence in Africa Why Trump Sees a Chinese Threat at the Panama Canal, and Locals Don’t A New Chinese Megaport in South America Is Rattling the U.S. How Much the U.S. Spent on Foreign Aid—and Where It Went Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices