China rising, America in decline? The Trump-Xi summit

China rising, America in decline? The Trump-Xi summit

Author: Chatham House September 25, 2026 Duration: 35:11

President Donald Trump welcomes Xi Jinping to Washington with the US-China dynamic in a moment of historic flux. China is rising economically and militarily, while the US is mired in the Iran war, alienating allies and pursuing Trump's unpredictable trade and tariff disputes.

What do the two leaders want from this meeting, and will they get it? Can they reconcile their differing economic powers, the competition for critical minerals, and their radically contrasting visions for artificial intelligence.

And in the longer term: who will dominate the 21st century? Does Xi really want to retake Taiwan for China before his time in power ends? Or is the US-Chinese dynamic more complex and perhaps less alarming?

To unpick these threads Bronwen Maddox is joined by three experts from Chatham House's Asia-Pacific Programme: programme director Ben Bland, senior research fellow Dr Yu Jie and associate fellow Dr Bill Hayton.

Produced by Podmasters, with thanks to Sara Seth and Stephen Farrell.

Explore Chatham House's latest work: 

Magazine article | What the West fails to grasp about China's strategy to lead the world

Comment | Trump–Xi summit: Why the US and China should not underestimate each other

Comment | China is weathering the Hormuz energy crisis. But copying its model comes with risks

Magazine issue | The World Today autumn issue

Audio | Africa Aware🎧

Audio | The Climate Briefing🎧

Follow Independent Thinking on your favourite podcast apps.


Hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, Independent Thinking brings the institute’s private deliberations into the public ear. This isn’t a rehearsed lecture series, but a direct channel into candid, high-level discussions typically held behind closed doors. Maddox guides conversations with a carefully selected mix of leading policymakers, frontline journalists, and Chatham House’s own deep bench of experts, focusing on the international political issues that are shaping headlines and rewriting global strategies. The tone is analytical yet accessible, privileging substance and nuance over soundbites. Each episode feels like a privileged seat at a crucial roundtable, where complex topics-from shifting alliances and economic sanctions to climate diplomacy and conflict-are unpacked with clarity and intellectual rigor. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the forces driving world events, hearing diverse perspectives clash and converge in real time. For anyone looking to move beyond the superficial news cycle and engage with the substantive arguments defining our geopolitics, this podcast offers an essential and thoughtful resource. It’s where informed opinion meets the pressing questions of our moment, fostering a deeper kind of political literacy.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Independent Thinking
Podcast Episodes
Rubio to Europe: A softer tone than Vance. But same message? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:02
In a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking podcast recorded at the Munich Security Conference 2026 over the weekend, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and R…
Oil, regime change, and what's next in Trump's MAGA playbook? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:34
After the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, our analysts discuss where in the Western Hemisphere US President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may turn their attention to next. Host Bronwen Maddo…
UK in China: Hard choices between rival superpowers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:32
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Ben Bland, head of our Asia-Pacific Programme, and Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China. They discuss the opportunities and risks of closer engagement between the UK and China, and…
Trump vs Carney at Davos - One summit, two visions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:13
Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox joins the Independent Thinking podcast from the World Economic Forum in Davos. In London are guest host David Lubin, a Senior Research Fellow in Chatham House's Global Economy and Fi…
Greenland in the cross hairs of Trump's bid for hemispheric dominance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:43
Host Bronwen Maddox is joined in the studio by Laurel Rapp, Director of Chatham House's US and North America Programme; Marc Weller, Director of the International Law Programme and down the line by Juno Berthelsen, of Gr…
Does Venezuela usher in an era of might is right? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marc Weller, Director of Chatham House's International Law Programme; Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme; and Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America. Th…