Among the most critical issues of world peace right now is whether the international reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will make Xi Jinping re-think China’s use of military action to secure what it considers its sovereign territory in and across the Taiwan Strait. Among the most critical issues of global economic growth is whether Chinese authorities will back down from a strict “Zero COVID” policy. MIT professor Taylor Fravel joins Mike Green to share his thoughts about how Beijing is applying lessons learned from the war in Eastern Europe to its relationship with Taiwan and what it will and will not do to contain the latest iteration of the pandemic. Professor Fravel notes that dissatisfaction is growing among the public and warns of a perfect “domestic political storm” heading into the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in the second half of 2022. Recorded on April 21, 2022.