
Inside Beijing's Strategy: The Trump-Xi Summit, Taiwan & the Tech War with Chris Johnson
From Intel at the Edge by Special Competitive Studies Project - SCSP
March 25, 2026 · 33 min · Episode 17
About this episode
Chris Johnson discusses Beijing's strategy and priorities ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, focusing on the tech war and Taiwan.
With the Trump-Xi summit approaching, former CIA senior China analyst Chris Johnson joins “Intel at the Edge” to give an unvarnished assessment of Beijing's priorities, Xi Jinping's mindset, and how China is navigating an increasingly unpredictable America. Chris draws on over two decades in the US intelligence and foreign affairs communities to explain what Xi really wants from this summit, how the rare earth standoff reshaped the bilateral relationship, and why China's long-term focus is breaking America's technological chokehold — not winning a diplomatic photo op.
People in this episode
Guest: Chris Johnson
Topics covered
- China strategy
- US-China relations
- technology war
- Trump-Xi summit
- Taiwan
- Xi Jinping
Keywords
- Beijing
- Trump-Xi summit
- Chris Johnson
- technology war
- Taiwan
- Xi Jinping
- rare earth
- US relations
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: CIA
Products: rare earth
Places: Beijing, America, Taiwan
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