A-Bomb Agonistes | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Author Evan Thomas joins Misha to talk about his new book Road to Surrender and the atomic bombing of Japan.
Jul 22, 2025•49 min•Ep. 84
The Pacific Century
The 21st century may be the Pacific Century, and China appears poised to become America’s greatest rival for global power and influence. Host Michael Auslin and guests discuss the latest politics, economics, security, and cultural news in China, Asia, and America.
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Episodes
Report Card from the US-China Commission | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
US-China Commission Chair Carolyn Bartholomew and Vice-Chair Alex Wong discuss the annual US-China Commission report to Congress and its recommendations.
Dec 08, 2023•50 min•Ep. 86
Biden Meets Xi | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
WSJ chief China correspondent Lingling Wei joins Misha to discuss what the stakes were of the Biden-Xi summit at APEC, what it achieved, and what to look for next in US-China relations.
Nov 17, 2023•51 min•Ep. 85
Full Steam Ahead with the First Sea Lord | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord, talks about his life on the sea, the Royal Navy around the globe, and its growing role in the Indo-Pacific.
Aug 08, 2023•59 min•Ep. 83
Larry Summers Lays Down the Law | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Larry Summers discusses why America is committed to economic interdependence with China and how to protect US interests going forward.
Feb 23, 2023•45 min•Ep. 82
The Coast Guard Jumps into the Pacific Ocean | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Admiral Linda Fagan, Commandant of the US Coast Guard talks about what Coasties do in the Asia-Pacific and around the world, their new cutters, and about leading the service.
Jan 26, 2023•57 min•Ep. 81
Mao’s Party Never Ends | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Misha is joined by his Hoover colleague, historian Frank Dikotter, to talk about Frank's new book, China After Mao , how the West misunderstands the Party's nature, and why the idea of a liberalizing China has always been a chimera.
Dec 13, 2022•49 min•Ep. 80
Spies and Lies: China Subverts the World | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Misha is joined by Alex Joske, author of Spies and Lies , to talk about China's covert foreign interference and influence campaigns, run by the Ministry of State Security.
Nov 30, 2022•59 min•Ep. 79
Xi’s the One | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Misha is joined by occasional co-host Cindy Yu and veteran Sinologists Rana Mitter and Jude Blanchette, to take apart the 20th Party Congress, Xi’s “running the table,” the Hu Jintao shocker, and the Party’s new era.
Oct 27, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 78
Sir Lawrence Freedman on Nuclear Strategy | Michael Auslin | Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution fellow Michael Auslin is joined by eminent strategist Sir Lawrence Freedman to talk about whether Putin will use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, how China is expanding its nuclear arsenal, the relationship between political and military leadership, and Freedman’s favorite nuclear-themed movie.
Oct 19, 2022•46 min•Ep. 77
Chinese Spies: Is America helpless against PRC espionage?
Misha is joined by former Anna Puglisi, former National Counterintelligence Officer for China, and Matt Brazil, author of Chinese Communist Espionage, to discuss just how widely and successfully Chinese spies have penetrated American business, government, and academia.
Oct 06, 2022•49 min•Ep. 76
From Shangri-La to the Great Game in Southeast Asia
Misha is joined by Cindy Yu, of the Spectator , to talk with James Crabtree of IISS on how Southeast Asia is the cockpit of geopolitical competition among China, the US, and India
Sep 21, 2022•55 min•Ep. 75
Why Chinese—Thanks to Confucius—Don’t Want Freedom
Misha talks with Habi Zhang, of Purdue University, about her contention that Chinese want security, not freedom. Habi talks about how Confucianism shaped Chinese views of politics. They also discuss CCP theorist Wang Huning and how the West misunderstood China.
Sep 06, 2022•47 min•Ep. 74
The Taiwan Crisis: Reaching Critical? A View from Taipei
A special mid-summer Pacific Century as Misha talks to the Financial Times’ Kathrin Hille about the Taiwan crisis, the “new normal” in cross-Strait tension, how China is trying to pressure Taiwan, and if Nancy Pelosi just made war more likely.
Aug 16, 2022•49 min•Ep. 73
Japan’s Power Play in Asia Counters China
Misha talks to the Wilson Center’s Shihoko Goto and the Stimson Center’s Yuki Tatsumi about Japan’s ambitious new foreign policy, the legacy of the Abe era, current Prime Minister Kishida’s agenda, and relations with Biden, Korea’s new president, and China, among other topics.
Jun 16, 2022•53 min•Ep. 72
The World According to India
Misha talks to AEI senior fellow and WSJ columnist Sadanand Dhume about Indian foreign policy, New Delhi’s support for Russia, what India gets out of the Quad, tensions with China, and ties with America and Japan.
Jun 03, 2022•46 min•Ep. 71
Joel Kotkin on America’s Neo-Feudalism
Misha talks to Joel Kotkin, uber-geographer, about the coming neo-feudalism and “zaibatsuization” of America’s economy, how Chinese and American economic models are converging, and how to preserve liberty in an age of oligarchic tech dominance
May 27, 2022•52 min•Ep. 70
Dan Kritenbrink Raps About Asia
Misha talks to Amb. Dan Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State, about new leaders in the Philippines, South Korea, and Australia; as well as about Taiwan and the upcoming Quad meeting. Finally, they talk about Vietnam and Amb. Kritenbrink’s famous Tet rap.
May 19, 2022•52 min•Ep. 69
Bridge Colby Denies China Taiwan
Misha talks to Bridge Colby, former deputy assistant secretary of defense, about how to prevent China from taking over Taiwan, whether the Biden Administration is maintaining the Trump defense strategy, and why Taiwan is vital to US interests”
Apr 27, 2022•56 min•Ep. 68
Japan: Ignore It At Your Peril
Misha talks to The Economist ’s Tokyo bureau chief, Noah Sneider, about the Japanese successes we miss, why Japan is a ‘harbinger state’ on economic, demographics, security, and how it is a frontline state against China.
Apr 11, 2022•57 min•Ep. 67
South Korea’s New President Shifts Right
Misha talks to Kathleen Stevens, former US ambassador to South Korea, and Stanford’s Gi-Wook Shin, about South Korea’s presidential election and Seoul’s future relations with Washington, Tokyo, and Beijing, as well as with North Korea
Apr 01, 2022•47 min•Ep. 66
The Final Frontier: Gen. John Raymond, on Space Force
Misha is joined by his colleague, Jackie Schneider, to talk with General John Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, about the threats to US space assets from China, how the US operates in space, and how space and cyber are connected.
Mar 25, 2022•57 min•Ep. 65
Tip of the Spear: Gen. Richard Clarke, Commander of US Special Operations Command Talks Asia
Misha talks with General Richard Clarke, Commander of US Special Operations Command, about the history of special operations, SOCOM today, and its role in the Indo-Pacific.
Mar 10, 2022•59 min•Ep. 64
Trapped in Ukraine with Peter Van Praagh
Misha talks with Peter Van Praagh, president of the Halifax International Security Forum, who was trapped in Kiev when Russia invaded. Peter talks about what he saw, his escape, how the Ukrainians are fighting back, and what the war means for democracy in Europe and Asia.
Mar 02, 2022•56 min•Ep. 63
Untangling the Chinese Party-State
Misha is joined by The Spectator's Cindy Yu as co-host this week, and they talk with Holly Snape of the University of Glasgow. Holly describes how Xi Jinping's CCP has reasserted control over the Chinese government, and how that influences civil society. She also talks about her time working in the Party's translation department (spoiler: it wasn't a party).
Feb 18, 2022•55 min•Ep. 62
Spies, Lies, and Abacuses?
Misha talks with Hoover Institution fellow Amy Zegart about her new book on the history of US intelligence, Spies, Lies, and Algorithms . They discuss the challenge of defending against China's pervasive spying, US counter-intelligence failures against China, and how open source intelligence is changing espionage.
Feb 07, 2022•46 min•Ep. 61
John Pomfret’s Chinese Lessons
Misha talks with John Pomfret, author of The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom , about living with China since 1980, how Americans misunderstood Beijing's worldview, and where US-China relations go from here.
Jan 21, 2022•48 min•Ep. 60
What’s In Store for Asia in 2022?
Misha is joined by Amb. Derek Mitchell, of the National Democratic Institute, and Dr. Dan Twining, of the International Republican Institute, to talk about democracy in Asia, the China challenge, and predictions for 2022.
Jan 06, 2022•56 min•Ep. 59
Wang Huning: The World‘s Most Dangerous Thinker?
Misha talks with David Ownby and Matt Johnson, of "Reading the China Dream" on the Chinese Republic of Letters, modern Chinese thinkers, and the influence of Wang Huning, lead ideologist and intellectual of the CCP.
Dec 13, 2021•53 min•Ep. 58
John Mearsheimer on the Inevitable US-China Rivalry
Misha talks with Professor John Mearsheimer about the inevitable clash between America and China, and why engagement with China was the biggest strategic blunder in recent history.
Dec 01, 2021•51 min•Ep. 57
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