The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently imposed unprecedented export controls on rare earths, escalating the U.S.-China trade war.
How is it that the Chinese regime managed to gain control of many of the most essential supply chains, from critical minerals to pharmaceuticals?
How should the Trump administration approach this threat to national security?
In this episode, we sit down with Lee Smith, author of “The Plot Against the President,” and the soon-to-be-released book, “The China Matrix: The Epic Story of How Donald Trump Shattered a Deadly Pact.”
“It was simply American corruption that has allowed all of this to happen. And that’s certainly the point that [U.S. President] Donald Trump makes in the book,” Smith says.
What is Trump’s strategy when it comes to China? How does he actually view Chinese leader Xi Jinping?
Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
CHAPTERS
0:00:00 The CCP’s Rare Earth Controls and U.S. Dependency
0:01:02 Introducing Lee Smith and “The China Matrix”
0:02:03 U.S.-China Technology Transfers and National Security
0:02:40 The Velvet Glove: U.S. Elites and the CCP’s Rise
0:04:36 Chinese Dominance in Strategic Industries (Pharma, Steel)
0:06:13 American Corruption and Bi-Partisan Complicity
0:08:02 Industrial Policy and State-Subsidized Dumping
0:08:27 Unrestricted Warfare and Economic Targeting
0:10:00 Trump’s Trade Deal Negotiations with China
0:11:58 Xi Jinping’s Power Dynamics and Internal CCP Forces
0:14:40 CCP’s Supremacy Over Individuals—U.S. Demands for Change
0:17:36 Deep U.S.–China Economic Integration and Trade Deficit
0:20:00 The Persistence of the China Lobby
0:22:32 The Role of Henry Kissinger and Elite Interests
0:25:00 State and Local Level Influence; “Chinagate”
0:28:57 Trump’s Policies to Reshore American Industry
0:30:17 Student Visas and National Security Risks
0:34:04 Communicating the Trade War to the American Public
0:35:15 Human Rights, Slave Labor, and Moral Implications
0:38:22 China’s Economic Fragility and Export Focus
0:39:02 U.S. Corporate Involvement and “Too Big to Fail”
0:41:13 Trump’s Legacy and the Call for Economic Realignment
0:45:00 Final Thoughts: Good vs. Evil, the Epic U.S.–China Story
