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ChinaPower

CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studieswww.csis.org
A podcast unpacking critical issues underpinning China’s emergence as a global power.
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Episodes

China’s Involvement in Afghanistan: A Conversation with Laurel Miller

On this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Laurel Miller joins us to discuss the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and to assess China’s next steps in the region. Ms. Miller argues that China will continue to be cautiously involved with Afghanistan to fulfill its long-term vision of establishing peace and stability in the nearby region. She also estimates how China may use its influence in Pakistan to boost its political relations with the Taliban. Although Afghanistan was a bright spot for...

Aug 17, 202140 min

China’s Global Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Conversation with Dr. Yanzhong Huang

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Yanzhong Huang joins us to discuss China’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on China’s power. Dr. Huang assesses how China’s handling of the pandemic is viewed within China and around the world. He also discusses China’s Health Silk Road and its role in advancing China’s interests amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, Dr. Huang analyzes the differences between the countries that have received Chinese vaccines and those that have r...

Aug 03, 202136 min

Unpacking the China-Hong Kong Relationship: A Conversation with Kurt Tong

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Ambassador Kurt Tong joins new host Bonny Lin to discuss China’s approach toward Hong Kong. Ambassador Tong describes how the Hong Kong citizenry has responded to China’s recent policies in the city. He argues that Beijing initially prioritized tolerance toward Hong Kong when implementing its “One Country, Two Systems” policy; however, such tolerance has recently declined. Ambassador Tong also explains how China’s foreign relations impact its policies t...

Jul 20, 202131 min

The Best of ChinaPower: Xi Jinping’s Military-Civil Fusion Project: A Conversation with Greg Levesque

This special "best of ChinaPower" episode explores China’s efforts to integrate its military and civilian sectors to support its military development and broader national security agenda. Our guest, Mr. Greg Levesque, discusses how Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) fits into China’s grand strategy and evaluates how effectively it has implemented the program to date. Levesque also weighs the risks and rewards of MCF in Beijing’s strategic calculus, and offers a path for how the US and its allies can re...

Jul 06, 202127 min

The Best of ChinaPower: Highlights of the 2020 DoD Report on Chinese Military Power: A Conversation with Chad Sbragia

This special "best of ChinaPower" episode examines the trajectory of Chinese military developments and national strategy, as well as key findings of the 2020 Department of Defense (DoD) annual report to Congress entitled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China . Our guest, Mr. Chad Sbragia, then-Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China, discusses a wide range of topics, including China’s capacity to launch an amphibious assault on Taiwan, China’s nuclea...

Jun 22, 202129 min

The Best of ChinaPower: Unveiling China’s Digital Currency Goals: A Conversation with Kevin Desouza

This special "best of ChinaPower" episode unpacks China’s push to develop a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Our guest, Dr. Kevin Desouza, explains Beijing's motives and compares China’s plans for creating its own national digital currency with those of other countries. Dr. Desouza explores how a national digital currency can be used to bolster China’s finance and technology sectors, as well as its economy as a whole. He also offers his views on what China’s timeline might be for rolling ou...

Jun 08, 202124 min

The Best of ChinaPower: The Implications of China’s Conventional Missile Arsenal: A Conversation with Ankit Panda

In this special "best of ChinaPower" episode, Mr. Ankit Panda discusses China's growing conventional missile arsenal and associated implications for military strategy and security in the Indo-Pacific region. He touches on the role of China’s ground-based missiles in the projection of military strength, noting that an increased arsenal can hamper US forces in the region and give the People’s Liberation Army increased maneuverability. Mr. Panda specifically highlights the importance of anti-ship b...

May 25, 202127 min

Decoding China's Diplomacy Discourse: A Conversation with Malin Oud

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Malin Oud joins us to discuss the importance of language in understanding China’s diplomatic and international cooperation strategies. Ms. Oud breaks down China’s efforts to both redefine international values and standards, such as “democracy,” “rule of law” and “human rights," and promote its own definitions when interacting with other nations via diplomacy and international cooperation. She argues that China’s efforts to both weaken current internatio...

Apr 16, 202125 min

The Impact of Covid-19 on China’s Belt and Road Initiative: A Conversation with Agatha Kratz

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Agatha Kratz joins us to discuss how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Dr. Kratz provides background on the history and past successes of the BRI from 2013-2020. She argues that, prior to the pandemic, China’s BRI was at a low point. There were fewer contracts and increased scrutiny on past unsustainable projects and loans. Dr. Kratz contends that those pre-existing trends were further accentuated by the Covi...

Mar 30, 202124 min

A New Era in China’s International Development Cooperation: A Conversation with Stella Hong Zhang

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Stella Hong Zhang joins us to discuss China’s new model of international development cooperation. Ms. Zhang analyzes China’s January 2021 white paper titled “China’s International Development Cooperation in the New Era”, the shift in China’s international development policy, and the implications that this shift has for both China and other nations around the world. She argues that the policy changes reflect China’s goal to be seen as a leader in global ...

Mar 16, 202124 min

China and Myanmar after the 2021 Myanmar Coup: A Conversation with Derek Mitchell

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Ambassador Derek Mitchell joins us to discuss the implications of the 2021 Myanmar coup for China-Myanmar relations. Ambassador Mitchell analyzes the current state of China-Myanmar relations, describes its historical development, and outlines China’s interests within the region after the coup. Ambassador Mitchell also examines which areas the United States and China can cooperate in Myanmar and which areas they likely cannot. He argues that while China ...

Mar 02, 202128 min

Small and Medium-Sized Powers' Response to China’s Rise: A Conversation with Luke Patey

In this episode, Dr. Luke Patey joins us to discuss the implications of China’s rise in a dynamic world and how the rest of the world should respond. Dr. Patey challenges the idea that an ascendant China will lead to a world in which small developing countries become a sphere of influence for China. Alternatively, he contends smaller nations are not content to play a subservient role and there is room for pushback when China overreaches. He stresses that middle powers such as Japan and India can...

Feb 16, 202128 min

China’s Wolf Warrior Diplomacy: A Conversation with Peter Martin

On this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Mr. Peter Martin joins us to discuss his recent book, "China's Civilian Army: The Making of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy." Chinese diplomacy in the past several years has become more assertive and its diplomats have used sharper language --hence the name wolf warrior diplomacy which comes from a Chinese film. Peter Martin's research traces the roots of wolf warrior diplomacy to the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and its first diplomat, Zho...

Feb 02, 202124 min

Controlling Advanced Technology Exports: A Conversation with Roslyn Layton and James Lewis

In this episode, Dr. Roslyn Layton and Dr. James Lewis discuss how to control the proliferation of technologies for military use with a special focus on China. Our guests explain the history of US export policy regarding advanced technology, noting the delicate balance between opportunities for private enterprise and the needs of national security. They describe the Wassenar Agreement and its impact on current US advanced technology exports to China. Dr. Layton argues in favor of US designation ...

Jan 19, 202128 min

China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 5

This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the last of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. Prior to the debate, Representative Rick Larsen delivered keynote remarks on the challenges and opportunities posed by China’s growing power and the view from Congress, followed by a Q&A conversation hosted by Bonnie Glaser, CSIS senior adviser for Asia and director of the China Power Project. Representative R...

Jan 15, 20211 hr 39 min

China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 4

This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the fourth of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The fourth debate took place on December 9, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: Within the next five years, China will use significant military force against a country on its periphery. Under President Xi Jinping, China’s military capabilities have continued to grow. China has stepp...

Jan 14, 20211 hr 13 min

China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 3

This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the third of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The third debate took place on December 3, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: China will exploit the Covid-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor. As the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the globe, China increased pressure on India, Taiwan, and several So...

Jan 13, 20211 hr 17 min

China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 2

This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the second of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The second debate took place on November 24, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: “One country, two systems” in Hong Kong is dead. When Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997​, its people were promised that they would continue to enjoy a high degree of autonomy under the “one cou...

Jan 12, 20211 hr 13 min

China’s Power: Up for Debate: Debate 1

This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the first of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project’s fifth annual conference, which comprised five live online debates. The first debate took place on November 19 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: The US-China relationship can best be described as a “new Cold War.” Over the last several years, relations between the United States and China have grown increasingly tense. Both the United States and China ha...

Jan 11, 20211 hr 13 min

China’s Coercive Trade Measures toward Australia: A Conversation with Jeffrey Wilson

In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Wilson joins us to discuss China's expanding trade restrictions against Australia. Dr. Wilson analyzes China’s trade strategy of targeted geo-economic sanctions and argues that China’s goal is to maximize economic pain without hurting its own welfare. In addition, Dr. Wilson explains how China’s targeted sanctions on Australia’s top 20 exports to China could serve as a precedent for other nations in the Indo-Pacific region. When considering whether China’s trade coer...

Dec 22, 202030 min

The Implications of China’s Conventional Missile Arsenal: A Conversation with Ankit Panda

In this episode, Mr. Ankit Panda joins us to discuss China's growing conventional missile arsenal and associated implications for military strategy and security in the Indo-Pacific region. He highlights the role of China’s ground-based missiles in the projection of military strength, noting that an increased arsenal can hamper U.S. forces in the region and give the People’s Liberation Army increased maneuverability. China’s missile arsenal is an important factor in its anti-access/area denial (A...

Dec 08, 202026 min

How Should the World Respond to the Humanitarian Crisis in Xinjiang?: A Conversation with Darren Byler

In this episode, Dr. Darren Byler joins us to discuss China’s policies in Xinjiang and policy options for the international community. Dr. Byler analyzes the portrayal of Uyghur and Kazakh ethnic minorities in Xinjiang in comparison to other minorities in China and in relation to the Han majority. He describes how Chinese policymakers have shifted the discourse on policies towards Uyghur Muslims from concerns of “separatism” to concerns of “terrorism,” and evaluates the appropriateness of these ...

Nov 17, 202027 min

The Genesis of Chinese Thinking on Sovereignty: A Conversation with Bill Hayton

In this episode, Mr. Bill Hayton joins us to discuss the genesis of China's thinking about sovereignty and how this shapes Chinese foreign policy today. He discusses the influence of Western notions of sovereignty on China during the Qing Dynasty and argues that the dynastic tributary system is still reflected to some extent in China’s current international relations. He further argues that the Qing tribute system was important because of the domestic legitimacy it conferred on the Qing Dynasty....

Nov 03, 202023 min

Europe and China as Partners or Rivals?: A Conversation with Mikko Huotari

In this episode, Dr. Mikko Huotari joins us to discuss the evolving relationship between Europe and China. He highlights the multifaceted relationship between China and the European Union, noting that the EU has labeled China as both a strategic partner and a systemic rival. Dr. Huotari argues that while the coronavirus has been a driver of recent tensions in the Europe-China relationship, there has been a longer-term negative trend of worsening ties and a lack of progress on policy agendas betw...

Oct 20, 202025 min

China’s Commitments to Fighting Climate Change: A Conversation with David Sandalow

This episode examines China’s role in the global climate change agenda and Xi Jinping’s commitment at the September 2020 UN General Assembly for China to become carbon-neutral by 2060. Mr. Sandalow argues that this new commitment provides an opportunity for China to present itself as a global leader on climate change policy, in contrast to the United States. Although China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, Mr. Sandalow notes that China has invested heavily in renewable energy ...

Oct 06, 202024 min

Highlights of the 2020 DoD Report on Chinese Military Power: A Conversation with Chad Sbragia

This episode examines the trajectory of Chinese military developments and national strategy, as well as key findings of the 2020 Department of Defense (DoD) annual report to Congress entitled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China . Our guest, Mr. Chad Sbragia, discusses a wide range of topics, including China’s capacity to launch an amphibious assault on Taiwan, China’s nuclear strategy, and the Belt and Road Initiative. Mr. Sbragia also highlights the growi...

Sep 22, 202027 min

The Impact of China's Dominant Position in Global Supply Chains: A Conversation with Wang Tao

This episode examines China’s changing role in supply chains and the factors behind recent shifts in global production. Our guest, Dr. Wang Tao, explains why certain companies and sectors are more inclined to move their production outside of China while others choose to stay. Dr. Wang also assesses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and US-China trade war on supply chain decisions, as well as how the new Hong Kong national security law (and resulting restrictions imposed by the US) might affect...

Sep 08, 202023 min

US-China Relations in Free Fall?: A Conversation with Lu Xiang

This episode examines the increasing friction in US-China relations. Our guest, Dr. Lu Xiang, analyzes the primary factors behind the souring ties, and why the signing of the Phase 1 trade deal was not enough to buoy the relationship. Dr. Lu speaks about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bilateral relations, and the role he sees US domestic politics playing in exacerbating tensions. He also looks at the future of US-China relations and what circumstances would allow for the relationship to ...

Aug 25, 202024 min

The Galwan Valley Clash and China's Approach to Sovereignty Disputes: A Conversation with M. Taylor Fravel

This episode explores the dynamics behind the June 2020 China-India border clash, and examines what the episode signifies about the changing nature of China’s approach to territorial and maritime disputes. Our guest, Dr. M. Taylor Fravel, compares the recent clash to past incidents along the Sino-Indian border and discusses whether confidence building measures have the potential to prevent further China-India territorial conflict. Dr. Fravel weighs the potential impact of the incident on India’s...

Aug 11, 202029 min

What’s Driving China’s Smart City Development?: A Conversation with Alice Ekman

This episode examines China’s efforts to develop smart city infrastructure. Our guest, Dr. Alice Ekman, analyzes how China is supporting domestic technology industries in critical sectors like telecommunications and surveillance to build smart cities. Dr. Ekman explains how Beijing’s ambitions are aimed at boosting economic development and maintaining political control throughout China’s urban environments. She also assesses the risks of China’s smart cities for the international community, and ...

Jul 30, 202027 min
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