Is America's global military dominance beginning to unravel? As Washington pours military resources into the war with Iran, countries across Asia are watching closely – and questioning whether the United States can still guarantee their security.

Carl Zha joins Jamarl Thomas to examine the shifting balance of power between the United States and China, the consequences of the Iran conflict, and why Southeast Asian nations are increasingly looking toward Beijing for their economic future.

In this episode:

• China's Communist Party Plenum: Is Xi Jinping consolidating power, or is Western media misrepresenting China's ongoing anti-corruption campaign?

• China's Economic Transformation: How the real estate slowdown is accelerating investment in advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

• America's Military Pivot: Why is Washington sending Pete Hegseth to reassure Asian allies while American military resources are being diverted toward the Persian Gulf?

• China's Growing Economic Influence: Why Chinese investment in Southeast Asia is increasingly difficult for Washington to compete with.

• ASEAN's Strategic Dilemma: Why Southeast Asian countries don't want to choose between America and China – and why Washington's pressure may be pushing them closer to Beijing.

• The Iran War's Asian Fallout: How disruptions to Persian Gulf energy supplies are affecting Southeast Asian economies, including fuel shortages in Bali.

• China's Petroleum Export Restrictions: Why China's decision to restrict refined petroleum exports could have major consequences for regional fuel supplies.

• The Future of America's Security Guarantees: If Washington struggles to protect its Gulf allies, can Asian countries really depend on its military umbrella?

• The New Space Arms Race: Could attacks on satellites create an orbital debris catastrophe that threatens humanity's future in space?

• Trump, Xi and Putin: Will the proposed trilateral meeting in Shenzhen become a historic geopolitical summit – or simply another Trump political spectacle?

Carl and Jamarl also discuss the changing geopolitical landscape and what the upcoming APEC summit in China could mean for relations between the world's three major powers.

GUEST: CARL ZHA