China Desk

The Federal Newswire
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China Desk is a nonpartisan podcast exploring the critical issues shaping the U.S.–China relationship. Hosted by Steve Yates, former White House national security advisor and president of Radio Free Asia, the show features leading experts, authors, and officials discussing the challenges and opportunities posed by China’s rise. Contact us or recommend a guest at: chinadesk@thefederalnewswire.com

  1. Ep. 93 - Rural Australia vs. PRC Influence: Land Deals, Renewables, & Supply Chains w/Andrew Phelan

    2D AGO

    Ep. 93 - Rural Australia vs. PRC Influence: Land Deals, Renewables, & Supply Chains w/Andrew Phelan

    Host Steve Yates welcomes back Andrew Phelan, Australian med-tech entrepreneur, former DFAT Australia-China Council scholar, and longtime China Desk guest (episodes #72 & #85).  They explore grassroots concerns in rural Australia: PRC-linked entities acquiring prime farmland and mineral sands through opaque offshore structures. State governments are forcing wind and solar farms on farmers under the net zero agenda—often with little transparency or consultation. Farmers face contempt from policymakers, increased bushfire risks from turbines, and generational land loss.  The discussion draws parallels to U.S. rural and agricultural issues, examines supply chain vulnerabilities (rare earths and critical minerals), and highlights Germany’s shift from engagement to harsh reality (auto sales collapse, tech theft examples). Andrew stresses the need for “Team Freedom” alignment—US, Australia, Canada, UK, Japan—decoupling where necessary, and strong leadership like Trump’s industrial rebuilding and Japan’s Takahashi era.  He previews his upcoming platform TheChinaChallenge.com (launching soon) as a one-stop hub to counter CCP narratives and amplify freedom voices. Essential listening for understanding local-level malign influence, economic coercion, and strategic responses.  Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Visit chinadeskpodcast.com for archives. Follow @TheChinaDesk on X. 00:00:00 - Welcome to the China Desk Podcast 00:00:07 - Host Steve Yates Intro & Guest Reminder: Andrew Phelan Returns 00:00:33 - Andrew Phelan Background & Previous Episodes (#72, #85) 00:01:21 - Grassroots Australia: Rural Concerns & PRC Influence 00:02:20 - Rural Victoria Travels: Farmer Concerns & State Government Ties 00:03:04 - Forced Renewables (Wind/Solar Farms) & Net Zero Agenda 00:04:08 - Bushfires, Turbine Risks & Contempt for Farmers 00:05:06 - Mineral Sands Deals: Opaque PRC-Linked Ownership Structures 00:05:49 - Landowner Stories & Championing Rural Voices 00:06:26 - Parallels to US Rural/Industry Impacts 00:30:31 - Due Diligence, Transparency & Stakeholder Engagement 00:30:59 - Aligning with Team Freedom: US, Australia, Canada, UK, Japan 00:31:26 - Decoupling on Rare Earths/Critical Minerals & Supply Chains 00:31:43 - Trump's Leadership & Rebuilding Industrial Strength 00:32:15 - Lessons from History: Industry Leaders Informing Policy 00:32:54 - Mugged by Reality: Germany's China Engagement Backfire 00:33:23 - Auto Industry Shift & Tech Theft Examples (Quantum Case) 00:34:14 - Learning from Repeated Plays & Deng's Rare Earths Quote 00:35:10 - Urgency of Deeper China Challenge Awareness 00:35:30 - Where to Follow Andrew: @ajphelo on X & Upcoming TheChinaChallenge.com 00:36:02 - Closing Thanks & Call to Action: chinadeskpodcast.com Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    37 min

  2. MAR 11

    Inside China’s Forced Organ Harvesting Industry w/Jan Jekielek

    In this episode of The China Desk Podcast, host Steve Yates sits down with journalist and documentary filmmaker Jan Jekielek, host of American Thought Leaders and author of Killed to Order. The conversation explores the disturbing allegations surrounding forced organ harvesting in China, a practice critics say is linked to the Chinese Communist Party’s detention system and repression of dissident groups. Jekielek explains how the issue first emerged through reports from prisoners of conscience and human-rights investigations, and how China’s transplant system raised questions among medical experts due to extremely short wait times for organs. He discusses the role of propaganda, state control, and international medical partnerships, and what this controversy reveals about the structure of power inside the CCP. The discussion also examines broader geopolitical implications, including how Western governments, institutions, and medical systems have responded—or failed to respond—to the allegations. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    45 min

  3. MAR 3

    China’s 90% Model, Economic War, and How America Fights Back w/Ram Charan

    Is China competing—or executing a long-term strategy to dominate global industry? In this episode of The China Desk, legendary CEO advisor Ram Charan joins Steve Yates to break down his book China’s 90% Model: China Has America by the Throat — Here’s How to Fight Back and Win. Charan argues that China’s strategy is deliberate: build capacity to meet 90% of global demand, sell below marginal cost, subsidize exports, and destroy competitors across entire industries. Drawing on six decades advising global executives—including more than 50 Chinese companies—Charan explains how this model has hollowed out American manufacturing in sectors like solar, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and advanced materials. He describes why many CEOs understand the threat privately but hesitate to speak publicly, and why investors may be underestimating long-term risk. The conversation explores: How industrial dominance becomes national security leverage Why excess capacity and currency policy matter The strategic risk of supply chain choke points like magnets and critical inputs The need for a cabinet-level Department of Manufacturing and Technology Why economic security and national security are now inseparable Charan argues that America and its allies still possess overwhelming economic strength—but only if they coordinate industrial policy, rebuild manufacturing capacity, and communicate the stakes clearly to the public and business leaders alike. This is a high-level strategic conversation about economic warfare, industrial capacity, and what the next seven years could determine for the global balance of power. 00:00 — Introduction and Ram Charan’s background 02:40 — What is China’s 90% Model? 04:19 — Industrial dominance and strategic execution 05:18 — The origins of China’s long-term strategy 08:19 — How to measure industry capture and market share 12:06 — Why CEOs stay silent and investor blind spots 14:11 — The October wake-up moment 16:22 — When companies must exit China 18:26 — Building an allied industrial coalition 21:44 — Economic security equals national security 23:17 — War-time leverage and supply chain choke points 25:21 — Proposal: Department of Manufacturing and Technology 27:35 — Seven-year strategy and public awareness 30:27 — Where to find the book and follow Ram Charan Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    33 min

  4. FEB 24

    Apple, China & the Global Supply Chain: Inside the Hidden Tech Power Struggle

    What happens when the world’s most valuable tech company becomes deeply tied to China’s manufacturing ecosystem? In this episode of the China Desk Podcast, host Steve Yates sits down with journalist and author Patrick McGee to unpack the geopolitical stakes behind Apple’s rise, global supply chains, and the future of U.S.–China economic competition. Drawing from McGee’s research and reporting, the conversation explores how Apple’s manufacturing strategy shaped China’s industrial growth, the realities of technology transfer, and why policymakers are rethinking dependence on Chinese production. The discussion also examines labor dynamics, shifting alliances, and whether diversification to countries like India or Mexico can realistically reshape global tech manufacturing. If you’re interested in geopolitics, technology strategy, national security, or the future of globalization, this episode delivers a deep, grounded look at how corporate decisions can reshape international power dynamics. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    45 min

  5. FEB 17

    China’s Influence in the Pacific Islands: Cleo Paskal on Indo-Pacific Strategy & Taiwan

    In this episode of the China Desk Podcast, host Steve Yates speaks with Indo-Pacific expert Cleo Paskal about China’s growing influence across the Pacific Islands and why the region is central to U.S. national security. The conversation explores geopolitical competition in Oceania, corruption and political warfare, Taiwan diplomacy, Guam’s strategic role, and how Chinese economic projects intersect with military strategy. Paskal breaks down the “3.5-tier” framework for understanding Pacific Island priorities and explains why Americans should pay closer attention to the region’s strategic importance. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    45 min

  6. FEB 3

    China’s Economy in 2026: Supply Chains, Tariffs, and the Myth of a Consumption Shift w/Leland Miller

    In this episode, host Steve Yates is joined by Leland Miller, co-founder of China Beige Book and U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission member, for a clear-eyed assessment of China’s economy heading into 2026. Miller breaks down what analysts got wrong about China in 2025, why GDP figures and stimulus narratives are misleading, and how Xi Jinping is prioritizing advanced manufacturing and national security over household consumption. The conversation examines why a true shift to a consumer-driven Chinese economy is unlikely, how high U.S.–China tariffs have become sustainable rather than destabilizing, and why the real battleground has moved from trade wars to supply chain warfare. Key topics include supply-chain weaponization, rare earths and pharmaceuticals, tariffs versus effective tariff rates, transshipment, robotics and demographics, and the strategic risks facing the U.S. and its allies as globalization gives way to a fragmented, security-driven economic order. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    41 min

  7. JAN 27

    How the CCP Shapes Media, Hollywood, and AI — Tiffany Meier on China’s Long Game

    In this episode of The China Desk Podcast, host Steve Yates sits down with Tiffany Meier, anchor and investigative reporter for NTD News, to unpack how the Chinese Communist Party exerts long-term influence across global media, Hollywood, technology, and politics. Meier traces her path into journalism, explains how China In Focus emerged during the early days of COVID-19, and outlines the CCP’s strategy of soft power, censorship, and unrestricted warfare. The conversation explores Hollywood’s entanglement with Chinese censorship, the use of AI and surveillance as tools of authoritarian control, and why Taiwan remains central to global security. This wide-ranging discussion also examines transnational repression, media capture, human rights abuses, and why understanding China’s long-game strategy is critical for policymakers, journalists, and citizens alike. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    47 min

  8. JAN 20

    China’s Mega Embassy in London: Security Risks, Five Eyes Tensions, and the Growing Clash With the CCP

    In this episode of the China Desk Podcast, Luke de Pulford of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) joins host Steve Yates to examine China’s proposed “mega embassy” in London, the national security risks tied to Five Eyes intelligence cables, and how Western governments are capitulating under economic pressure from Beijing. The conversation explores parliamentary resistance, grassroots opposition, CCP coercion tactics, and why Taiwan, supply chains, and global deterrence now define the century’s central geopolitical struggle. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

    35 min
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About

China Desk is a nonpartisan podcast exploring the critical issues shaping the U.S.–China relationship. Hosted by Steve Yates, former White House national security advisor and president of Radio Free Asia, the show features leading experts, authors, and officials discussing the challenges and opportunities posed by China’s rise. Contact us or recommend a guest at: chinadesk@thefederalnewswire.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Federal Newswire
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Federal Newswire
  • Show Website
    China Desk

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