Shannon Felton Spence in charlestown, massachusetts. First the latest headlines. The un is warning that the amount of rubble in gaza generated by israels offensive could take fourteen years to clear. Israels offensive has damaged or destroyed the majority of the buildings in the palestinian territory, according to satellite imagery. At least 70 people are now known to have died in the floods affecting kenya and many other countries in east africa. More than a hundred people have been killed in neighbouring tanzania. Buckingham palace says king charles will return to public duties next week, after starting Cancer Treatment 11 weeks ago. The kings medical team are said to be pleased with his progress so far. His first trip back will be a visit to a Cancer Treatment centre next tuesday. We start with some developing news from the us. Defence secretary Lloyd Austing has confirmed more Military Support for ukraine. Its the second instalment after a huge aid bill was approved in washington earlier this week. A new six billion dollar package of aid will focus on air defence. This includes interceptor missiles, anti drone systems and artillery ammunition. Whats not included are the new patriot air defence batteries, something ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says are critical. Lloyd austin spoke about the importance of the aid a little earlier. Take a listen. The outcome in ukraine will determine the trajectory of our times. If Vladimir Putin prevails in ukraine, the Security Consequences will be grave and global. Europe would face a Security Threat that it has not seen in our lifetimes. As President Biden has noted, russia will not stop in ukraine. If the kremlin gets its way, if putins war of imperial aggression succeeds, every tyrant on earth will take note. The war in ukraine was also a topic of discussion, when us secretary of Antony Blinken met with chinas president xi in beijing on friday. A visit thats seen as a chance to ease tense relations between the two powers. But while there was praise there was also warning. Mr blinken americas top diplomat accused china of helping russia to sustain its assault on ukraine by continuing to supply items to make weapons. He called on them stop warning if china did not act the us would. Its helping russia perpetuate its aggression against ukraine. But its also creating a growing threat to europe because of russias aggression. And what im hearing from europeans is deep concern about this. So for china, he wants to have better relations, not only with us but with countries in europe, it cant do that while at the same time helping to fuel the biggest threat to European Security since the end of the cold war. Relations between washington and beijing have been strained by chinas claims over taiwan and the south china sea, as well as us export bans on advanced tech. They were further damaged by a row over a spy balloon last february. And in recent days, the us passed a law that would force chinese owned tiktok to sell the hugely Popular Video app or be banned in america. Mr xi said the earth was � big enough� for both countries to achieve development and prosperity. Translation the two countries should be partners, not rivals. I they should achieve mutual success, not harm each other. They should seek Common Ground while reserving differences instead of vicious competition for that they should honour their words rather than say one thing and doing another. Lets talk to our panel tonight. Poiiticai lets talk to our panel tonight. Political strategist lets talk to our panel tonight. Political strategist shannon i lets talk to our panel tonight. Political strategist Shannon Felton in massachusetts political strategist Shannon Felton in massachusetts and political strategist Shannon Felton in massachusetts and ournalist and in massachusetts and journalist and author in massachusetts and journalist and author matthew in massachusetts and journalist and author matthew syed. In massachusetts and journalist and author matthew syed. Good in massachusetts and ournalist and author matthew syed. Good evening to ou both. Author matthew syed. Good evening to you both thank author matthew syed. Good evening to you both. Thank you author matthew syed. Good evening to you both. Thank you for author matthew syed. Good evening to you both. Thank you for being author matthew syed. Good evening to you both. Thank you for being with you both. Thank you for being with us. Matthew, there is so much to talk about here about these meetings and it strikes me that once again the meeting of the worlds two largest economies, and all we hear about are their differences and not areas of cooperation. That you are really far apart, even though as we head there, xijinping saying really far apart, even though as we head there, xi jinping saying the world is big enough or both of us. It is about time that the west recognised the threat of china, which has been moving in a mortar totalitarian direction under the president. And to recognise a growing alliance between china, russia, iran, north korea, the autocratic axis, china is buying gas from russia, funding its military expenditure, and it is a brutal and Horrific War Taking place in europe with prisoners being mutilated, women raped, children abducted, so it is perfectly true that america and china need to coexist. The Trading Relationship is very profoundly integrated. But i think it is a good thing that the west recognises the direct threat to the freedom of the liberal democratic world, and i am glad to see that the rhetoric is stronger, the funding is coming, europe has been rather delinquent on defence expenditure for much of the last 50 years, we have been called out by The Americans again and again, we are slowly beginning to step up but i think a Reality Check was required and i hope very much that it is finally registering. And i hope very much that it is finally registering. Shannon, an interesting finally registering. Shannon, an interesting point, finally registering. Shannon, an interesting point, as finally registering. Shannon, an interesting point, as antony finally registering. Shannon, an interesting point, as Antony Blinken was saying he says that china is helping to fuel the biggest threat to European Security, particularly when it comes to supplying those pads for weapons that are being used by russia in ukraine. He says washington will act if china does not stop supplying them. He does not say what that action would be though. What might we expect that action to look like . Action to look like . Listen, while i auree action to look like . Listen, while i agree with action to look like . Listen, while i agree with everything action to look like . Listen, while i agree with everything that action to look like . Listen, while i agree with everything that has action to look like . Listen, while i| agree with everything that hasjust agree with everything that has just been said i think this is a bit of a good new story because last year it would be unimaginable to have the Secretary Of State gone to china twice in a year, are the Treasury Secretary who has gone four times in the past several months. This is a huge improvement in conversations and diplomacy amongst these two giant rivals. The state Department Says it is to manage competition so that we mitigate any risk of miscalculation or conflict, but the fact that they can even visit each other, the president and xijinping have been on the phone many times in recent months, these conversations are good news for the world. Now, where that will go, listen, these ads still tough visits and conversations but the fact that they can sit down in one room together is a huge improvement and i view that is a good news story. Can a huge improvement and i view that is a good news story. Is a good news story. Can be us really turn is a good news story. Can be us really turn on is a good news story. Can be us really turn up in is a good news story. Can be us really turn up in china is a good news story. Can be us really turn up in china and is a good news story. Can be us really turn up in china and say l is a good news story. Can be us i really turn up in china and say that we want to work with you, be collaborative, you have to do all of these things but at the same time we are going to ban your tech exports, your apps, are going to ban your tech exports, yourapps, your are going to ban your tech exports, your apps, your actions in the south china sea, the us is demanding a lot and china might rightly turn around and china might rightly turn around and say, hang on, search ourselves out before you come at us. It is and say, hang on, search ourselves out before you come at us. Out before you come at us. It is a very tricky out before you come at us. It is a very tricky situation out before you come at us. It is a very tricky situation and out before you come at us. It is a very tricky situation and there i out before you come at us. It is a| very tricky situation and there are lots of needles to thread. I agree that there are several things that happen this week right as the state, excuse me, the Secretary Of State visit was queued up. It sort of made his trip much tougher. The tiktok ban being one of them. This was probably the most bipartisan thing that passed the house in the last year. It was almost unanimous. It was very widely viewed as a national Security Threat to have the social media app owned by the chinese. That is not the warmest signal in these diplomatic conversations, but what i will say is that we have an excellent ambassador in nick burns representing the us and making these headway is in china. And the fact that these conversations are even happening, iam that these conversations are even happening, i am telling you, it is a past improvement from last year. Matthew, interesting when you look at what xi jinping is saying, he says the country should be brightness and are not rivals and if the us took a positive view then relations could stabilise and get better and move forward. But is there will be big enough for two huge superpowers that are trying to exert a lot of dominance, a lot of influence, notjust in their own countries but around the world . Ball well, you are right about the influence around the world. China has been more strategically intelligent has been more strategically intelligen has been more strategically intelliuren ,. , intelligent when it comes to the ener intelligent when it comes to the energy transition. Intelligent when it comes to the energy transition. They intelligent when it comes to the l energy transition. They dominate intelligent when it comes to the i energy transition. They dominate the Mining Energy transition. They dominate the mining and energy transition. They dominate the mining and processing of the rare earth mining and processing of the rare earth elements and minerals that are going earth elements and minerals that are going to earth elements and minerals that are going to be earth elements and minerals that are going to be absolutely central to building going to be absolutely central to building out a Critical Infrastructure of renewables. America infrastructure of renewables. America sold its last cobalt mine and has america sold its last cobalt mine and has been, i think, america sold its last cobalt mine and has been, ithink, very america sold its last cobalt mine and has been, i think, very unwise in the and has been, i think, very unwise in the way and has been, i think, very unwise in the way that it thinks about this, in the way that it thinks about this, until in the way that it thinks about this, untilat in the way that it thinks about this, until at least the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act which has closed some of the gap. We have to look has closed some of the gap. We have to look at has closed some of the gap. We have to look at the wider context. China has set to look at the wider context. China has set many things at the last 20 or 30 has set many things at the last 20 or 30 years has set many things at the last 20 or 30 years since the Economic Growth or 30 years since the Economic Growth was unleashed by the former president growth was unleashed by the former president. But it has serially violated president. But it has serially violated its trade agreements, stolen violated its trade agreements, stolen intellectual property, almost all of the stolen intellectual property, almost all of the undertakings of xi jinping all of the undertakings of xi jinping have been again violated, there jinping have been again violated, There Is Jinping have been again violated, there is a jinping have been again violated, there is a genocide taking place in china, there is a genocide taking place in china, the there is a genocide taking place in china, the building of a surveillance state, so the west has to be surveillance state, so the west has to be clear surveillance state, so the west has to be clear eyed. This is an autocratic to be clear eyed. This is an autocratic and increasingly totalitarian government that has no democratic checks on its power. It is showing democratic checks on its power. It is showing aggression in the south of china is showing aggression in the south of china sea and says that it has de facto of china sea and says that it has de facto ownership over taiwan and is menacing facto ownership over taiwan and is menacing that as well which is very important menacing that as well which is very important for silicon chips. So, yes, important for silicon chips. So, yes, we important for silicon chips. So, yes, we have to cooperate where we need yes, we have to cooperate where we need to yes, we have to cooperate where we need to cooperate, but at the same time we need to cooperate, but at the same time we have to be very sensible in understanding the risks, and i think america understanding the risks, and i think america has understanding the risks, and i think america has been all over the place in its america has been all over the place in its Foreign Policy towards china, since in its Foreign Policy towards china, since the in its Foreign Policy towards china, since the masterminding of Henry Kissinger since the masterminding of Henry Kissinger. There was a wake up and i am glad kissinger. There was a wake up and i am glad to kissinger. There was a wake up and i am glad to see democrats equally hawkish am glad to see democrats equally hawkish. Am glad to see democrats equally hawkish. ,. ,. , am glad to see democrats equally hawkish. ,. , hawkish. Stay with us, both, for now. I hawkish. Stay with us, both, for new i want hawkish. Stay with us, both, for now. I want to hawkish. Stay with us, both, for now. I want to talk hawkish. Stay with us, both, for now. I want to talk about i hawkish. Stay with us, both, for. Now. I want to talk about another day of political chaos in scotland today. First minister, humza yousaf, continues to fight for his political future. Mr yousaf says he will not resign from the position despite facing a No Confidence Vote at Holyrood Next week. Yesterday he terminated a coalition with the scottish greens saying he was prepared to lead a minority snp administration. The greens have said they will vote against him. Speaking in dundee, mr yousaf said his plan was in the best interest of scotland. Matthew, what is going on here . That is a very difficult question to and is a very difficult question to and is coherently. I am speaking to you from is coherently. I am speaking to you from South West London and i dont know from South West London and i dont know about from South West London and i dont know about you but i remember quite vividly know about you but i remember quite vividly during the pandemic that nicola vividly during the pandemic that nicola sturgeon, the first minister in the nicola sturgeon, the first minister in the snp, were held up as an archetype in the snp, were held up as an archetype of rational discursive administration that Boris Johnson and the administration that Boris Johnson and the london westminster government could do well to learn from government could do well to learn from. Since then it has been a rolling from. Since then it has been a rolling disaster. Embezzlement, arrests. Rolling disaster. Embezzlement, arrests, the breakdown of the confidence and supply agreement between confidence and supply agreement between the snp and the green party, all sorts between the snp and the green party, all sorts of between the snp and the green party, all sorts of other turbulence. I find all sorts of other turbulence. I find it all sorts of other turbulence. I find it quite difficult to analyse and deconstruct what seems certain is the and deconstruct what seems certain is the snp and deconstruct what seems certain is the snp are heading for some kind of electoral is the snp are heading for some kind of electoral disaster and it has been of electoral disaster and it has been one of electoral disaster and it has been one of the most dramatic and dizzying been one of the most dramatic and Dizzying Turnarounds in modern poiiticai Dizzying Turnarou