Geography is Destiny: China, The Global South, & Energy

Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China Global South Project, joins the pod to discuss the developments on the other side of the globe. From Ho Chi Minh City, Eric explains how the Global South actually sees the US-Iran war, why nobody expects China to ride to anyone's rescue, and how Vietnam's tariff and energy shocks became a never-again moment. He and Jacob dig into the myth that tariffs can implode China, America's fading China literacy, and why the next order won't be Chinese-led - but China will be its transformational character.

*Note: There are some weird buzzing sounds in the pod, we know! There was some sort of issue uploading the audio, we're on it.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro

(00:46) - World Cup Travel Chaos

(02:01) - Soccer Politics and Tensions

(03:33) - Meet Eric Olander

(05:32) - China’s Transformation Story

(07:54) - Global South Views of China

(10:26) - China as Daily Operating System

(13:12) - Pew Poll Surprises Explained

(14:10) - Southeast Asia vs Northeast Asia

(17:32) - Why Philippines Aligns With US

(20:10) - Japan Taiwan Flashpoint

(21:15) - Supply Chains and Sea Lanes

(23:36) - Japan Rearms for Post US Era

(28:19) - Japan’s Regional Influence

(30:38) - Japan as Counterbalance

(32:04) - Drone Age Security Shift

(33:05) - South China Sea Alarm

(33:28) - Iran War Global South

(38:37) - China Gains and Risks

(40:46) - No Alliance Expectations

(43:51) - ICBM Test Explained

(47:40) - Decoupling and US Pragmatists

(50:35) - People to People Breakdown

(54:41) - China Blowing Europe Window

(58:56) - Mutual Misunderstanding Finale

(59:55) - Closing Thanks and Signoff

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Referenced in the Show:

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Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

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The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

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Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

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Mentioned in this episode:

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