The Trivium China Podcast

2026 has kicked off with a geopolitical bang – from US intervention in Venezuela to threats against Greenland to potential military action against Iran, not to mention the latest tariff turmoil following last week’s US Supreme Court ruling.
All of this volatility – and what it might say about the role the US will play in the world going forward – can lead to some pretty lazy assumptions that China will automatically benefit by easily positioning itself as a stabilizing global force. 
But reality is more complicated: Chinese leaders are likely just as befuddled by the rapidly changing landscape as their counterparts in NATO.
On this week’s Trivium China podcast, host Andrew Polk sits down with Jude Blanchette, director of the RAND China Research Center, to unpack how China actually sees “The Rupture” in global politics.
This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
But wait, there’s more! Before talking with Jude, Andrew is joined by Trivium’s Head of Markets Research Dinny McMahon to discuss Beijing‘s recent focus on the need to “invest in people,” and the step-change that might signal for the buildout of China’s welfare state during the next five-year plan period.

It's been a while between trips, but last week Trivium's Head of Markets Research, Dinny McMahon, was back in Beijing.
In this podcast, he and Trivium Co-founder Andrew Polk discuss Dinny's observations and takeaways from the trip.
After dissecting the vibe on the street, the gents get into:
Where there might be some potential for investment growth this year
Why the only thing that will unlock household spending is a housing market recovery
This one is short and sweet, so please enjoy this fun-sized pod. 
And a note to listeners: 
The pod will be off for the Lunar New Year next week.
But we'll be back in your feeds after the holiday with some exciting new content, so stay tuned!

US-China bilateral relations have, surprisingly, been an anchor of calm amidst a sea of geopolitical uncertainty in the opening innings of 2026.
And increasingly, it looks like the seemingly fragile truce between the two countries will prove more resilient that it initially seemed – back when US President Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a trade war détente in November.
To discuss the state of play – and where things might be going – Trivium China pod host Andrew Polk is joined this week by Joe Mazur (Head of Geopolitical Research) and Even Pay (Head of Ag and Trade Policy Research).
The trio discuss:
The notable shift in tone and approach from the Trump administration toward China
The latest Xi-Trump call, which took place this week
The upcoming visit to China by Donald Trump, which is set for April
Whether America’s more aggressive policy in the Western Hemisphere is hurting or helping China’s interests in the region
Then Andrew and Even go deep on the most important domestic policy development of the week, the release of the 2026 No. 1 Document, which outlines ag policy priorities for the year.
They touch on:
Why ag and rural policies are so important to Party leaders
The shift toward boosting efficiency and productivity in the ag sector – as part of Xi’s wider promotion of New Quality Productive Forces
Recent adjustments to ag and rural policy funding arrangements, and what they might mean for China’s non-urban areas

On this week’s Trivium China Podcast, host Andrew Polk speaks with our lead macro-econ analyst, Joe Peissel, to take a quick temperature check of China’s latest macro data.
The two discuss:
What the full-year 2025 data (released in mid-Jan) tells us about the state of play and the likely economic trajectory for 2026
How the constituent parts of the economy – consumption, investment, and exports – are faring
Whether the export machine can possibly go from strength to strength in 2026
Then Andrew is joined by pod regulars Dinny McMahon (Head of Markets Research) and Cory Combs (Head of Supply Chain and Critical Minerals Research) to examine the enduring headwinds to capital expenditure in China.
They get into:
Whether the cratering in fixed asset investment (FAI) growth in H2 2025 was a one-off or is the new normal (spoiler alert: it’s probably the latter)
Prospects for investment in a couple of key industries – autos and renewable energy
How government policy might address the investment slide
And where infrastructure spending fits in – particularly energy infrastructure, as it relates to the recently released massive spending plan from State Grid
It’s another wonk-fest, so lap it up you China nerds.

China’s financial regulators have started 2026 with a flurry of activity.
On January 14, the securities regulator raised margin requirements on stock trading in a bid to cool investors’ exuberance.
The following day the central bank expanded a bunch of its relending facilities, and cut the interest rate on all of its structural lending tools.
Then on January 20, the finance ministry rolled out a bunch of measures designed to bolster investment by small, private sector firms.
What’s driving this hyperactive policymaking? That’s what Trivium Co-founder Andrew Polk and Dinny McMahon, Head of Markets Research, discuss on the first Trivium podcast of 2026.
They look at:
How weak Q4 economic data has lit a fire under regulators
Why authorities have settled on this particular combination of policies
And what signals Beijing is trying to send markets
But wait, there’s more! On the second half of the pod, Andrew is joined by a new guest to the podcast, Trivium’s lead AI and semiconductor analyst Linghao Bao. Linghao joins to discuss:
Beijing’s intervention in Meta’s recently announced acquisition of Chinese AI start-up Manus
The specific regulatory tools China is using to slow – or maybe even stop – the deal
The wider implications for China’s AI start-up ecosystem
The gents cover a lot of ground in this one – enjoy!