America’s Energy Race Against China

This interview podcast features Jason Bordoff interviewing Dmitri Alperovitch, author of "World on the Brink," about the strategic challenges posed by China's growing economic and technological dominance. The conversation begins with Alperovitch's background in cybersecurity and his observations on China's extensive intellectual property theft. They then discuss the implications of China's dominance in clean energy supply chains, including concerns about energy security, economic competitiveness, and the potential for monopoly pricing. Alperovitch argues against prioritizing cheap energy from China due to national security risks and the potential for price manipulation once a monopoly is established; he cites the example of Chinese rare earth producers showing losses despite market control. Finally, Alperovitch presents a concerning scenario of a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan by 2028, emphasizing the need for the US to reduce its economic dependence on China to maintain effective deterrence.