Jeremy Bowen

The way the world is, the number of places that are on fire, the number of places where conflicts aren't just not being resolved, they're getting worse. I've spent a lot of time over the years with the Arab-Israeli conflict. It's in a terribly dangerous place right now. None of this stuff is going to end well. And I don't see where...

Kiitos.

Some degree of strategic economic military stability between them. And maybe the answer is that the Americans say, look, this is our half of the world and we'll try and do what we can here. And that is your half of the world. Maybe that's an answer. But China's a rising power. It's getting stronger. And...

America is still massively powerful militarily and economically, but history says that empires and superpowers don't last forever. I look with great interest on the next decade or two, and some fair degree of trepidation, because I think the danger is that little crises can become big crises, and suddenly...

Things start slipping out of control. One of the things that would stop, you'd hope, things slipping out of control is some kind of rules-based system. A safety net. If you like, little interrupters along the way. People like using this phrase guardrails these days. I don't quite know what it means. But certainly if there's a shape of rules and customs that people at least...

can be held to account if they don't follow them. In a way you know where you are. But if it's quite a chaotic, might is right atmosphere happening in the world, well, it guarantees a great deal of work for people like me, but frankly, a lot of worry for anyone who wants to live a peaceful life.

It's going to be complex at the very least.

Here's an example.

China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.

He's in a very delicate trade situation already with their trade tariff war between America and China.

Is he going to suddenly put a 25% tariff on China in addition to the other stuff they've been doing?

It's already a very delicate negotiation.

The thing about Iran is you cannot ignore it in the Middle East or in the wider world.

Why is that?

It's very big.

It's got the oil.

It's got the gas.

It's going to be complex at the very least.

Here's an example.

China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.