China now produces more than 30% of the world’s manufactured goods—more than the United States, Germany, and South Korea combined. In this episode, host Roseanne Gerin sits down with economist Mariko Watanabe to unpack what that scale really means.

Drawing on Watanabe’s research with the Hinrich Foundation, the conversation explores why some scholars believe China should push its global manufacturing share even higher—and how scale has become a strategic asset. But size comes with consequences. The episode examines how industrial policy is reshaping global competition and how overcapacity can distort markets, suppress prices, and strain trade relationships worldwide.

This podcast episode was produced in partnership with the Hinrich Foundation. AFPC-USA is solely responsible for the content of this episode.