Foreign Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin
Michael Sobolik appears on The Michele Tafoya Podcast to discuss the ideological, economic, and military rivalry between the United States and China. He warns that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is evolving into a global tool for influence and militarization, while the Chinese Communist Party leverages platforms like TikTok to export censorship and control narratives. Sobolik argues the US needs to go on offense by targeting China’s ideological vulnerabilities and defending democracies like Taiwan.
Caption
A Chinese national flag is seen in the foreground with container ships, cranes, and stacked shipping containers at the Yantian International Container Terminal under cloudy skies in Shenzhen, China. (Cheng Xin viaGetty Images)
In the Media
Michael Sobolik Hudson Institute
Michael Sobolik Hudson Institute
Senior Fellow (Nonresident)
Qinglong humanoid robots sort goods at a logistics sorting line during the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center on July 26, 2025. (Tian Yuhao via Getty Images)
Caption
Qinglong humanoid robots sort goods at a logistics sorting line during the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center on July 26, 2025. (Tian Yuhao via Getty Images)
Commentary
Michael Sobolik Hudson Institute
Michael Sobolik Hudson Institute
Senior Fellow (Nonresident)
7 Min Read