G7 nations pledge democratic alternative to China's Belt and Road initiative; Fifth Ocean Announced

G7 leaders covered a slew of topics at the summit over the weekend. G7 leaders have pledged to provide a democratic alternative to China's Belt and Road initiative. The summit also called for a transparent investigation into the origins of the pandemic. And they’re demanding that Beijing provide access to its labs. President Biden called on Beijing to abide by international rules. He said, “China needs to start to act more responsibly in terms of international norms and human rights and transparency." He's rallying U.S. allies to confront the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP’s economic abuses and human rights violations.

What brought China onto the world stage as a global power and how has that shifted in the wake of the pandemic? We sat down with Clyde Prestowitz, President and Founder of the Economic Strategy Institute and author of "the World Turned Upside Down: America, China, and the Struggle for Global Leadership" to find out more.

And there's now a fifth ocean. The National Geographic Society says the Southern Ocean will now join the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans to claim its place. The Southern Ocean is different in that it touches three other oceans instead of land. National Geographic Society Geographer Alex Tait explained to NPR that the other four oceans are “defined primarily by land masses,” while the Southern Ocean is different. He added “because it's so unique and because we want to bring attention to all areas of the ocean" it's become the fifth ocean.

Tune into Deep Dive as we explore these topics and more.

Clyde Prestowitz and his book: “The World Turned Upside Down: America, China, and the Struggle for Global Leadership.”
https://www.clydevprestowitz.com/