Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe by Niall Ferguson review
(Evening Standard) – From plagues and volcanic eruptions to the current Covid pandemic, mankind has always been faced with catastrophes.
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Peter Zeihan: China, Navy, Nukes, Tech, and Politics
From Peter Zeihan: Our focus turns toward China today, specifically at the technological struggles facing the Chinese military and manufacturing industry. And yes, we’re starting with the nuclear submarine that sank in port…
The Chinese have been looking to make some upgrades to their technological capabilities across the board, but they’re not gaining much traction. As evidenced by the nuclear submarine that sank near Wuhan, China’s nuclear deterrent system is one area that could use some love. Unlike the US nuclear triad that provides redundancy and security, the Chinese really only have ICBMs to bail them out of nuclear troubles.
While the sinking of that sub is embarrassing, it’s far from the only area that the Chinese could use some help in. China is a manufacturing hub for low-tech stuff, including less advanced semiconductors. However, China has struggled to make much (if any) progress on the chip front, because they lack the expertise and access to operate the necessary machinery.
And things aren’t likely to improve anytime soon. US-China trade tensions are on the rise, and the coming US election isn’t likely to change that…regardless of who wins. With sanctions, tariffs and technological controls limiting China’s capabilities, it will be difficult for them to achieve technological parity with the US.
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