In this conversation, I discuss our new geopolitical reality ‘The Cold Peace’ with Erich Elkins. We discuss the importance of design thinking for policy problems, the roots of Western decline, Erich’s experience meeting Xi Jinping and how it shaped his thinking on the leader, the objective of China’s recent family-friendly reforms, the upcoming Philippines election, the country’s position in the Indo-Pacific, whether the first island chain can hold, why we are living in a ‘Cold Peace’ rather than a ‘Cold War’, the risk of conflict over Taiwan, and many more topics.
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Erich Elkins is the Co-founder and Director of the Sydney-based firm Next Real Ventures, which brings US and European technology solutions to the Indo-Pacific and is the primary representative in the region for HaptX, the world’s leader in dual-use robotics and VR wearables. Erich has been at the forefront of the design and deployment of innovative tech solutions, such as Extended Reality(XR) and Urban Mobility. He has a career spanning three decades working with Fortune 500 companies, startups, and government agencies throughout Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific, which has given him deep insights into the creation of technology and innovation strategies and policies. This has formed his unique on-the-ground perspective surrounding the growing strategic rivalry between the US and China, and the new global geopolitical reality. Erich is currently based in Manila and you can connect with him on LinkedIn.