Nigel Inkster studied Chinese language and culture at the University of Oxford, sparking a lifelong interest in the country. After graduating he worked for Britain's Secret Intelligence Services for over three decades, becoming director of operations and intelligence, before joining the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, where he is now a senior adviser. In this lightly edited transcript of a recent interview, he discusses the technological competition between the U.S. and China, the future of Taiwan and countering Chinese espionage, among other topics.  Nigel Inkster.lllustration by Lauren Crow Q: You wrote about the technology contest between the U.S. and China in your book, The Great Decoupling: China, America and the Struggle for Technological Supremacy. How do you see it playing out over the next few years? A: We really just don't know but it's quite clear that what China wants to do is to achieve mastery of the next generations of technologi