China In Context

The overall assessment of the historic summit between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden seems to have been positive. There was a softness in Biden’s tone, and Xi seemed happy during and after their long meeting. However, there were sticking points. Joe Biden described the Chinese leader as a dictator during a press conference. And according to the US side, Xi Jinping is still posing a threat to Taiwan. In...

China’s currency, the yuan, has seen its value against the US dollar depreciate sharply this year. That may reflect foreign disillusionment with China’s economic prospects and policy making. Many investors are also unnerved by a regulatory crackdown on technology companies, with the Communist Party insisting on more centralised control. In this podcast,  George Magnus, a research associate at the...

China says it will do its utmost to restore peace to the Middle East and has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip. Its proposal has been rejected by Israel as the ground assault on Gaza continues. Meanwhile in China itself, feelings on the Middle East conflict are gathering intensity, with social media revealing an anti-semitic streak among some influencers. In this po...

For ten years, China has been pushing other countries to partner with it through the Belt and Road initiative (BRI). While some nations such as Russia are fans of the project, it has largely been snubbed by the West. In this podcast, Fraser Howie, a respected independent analyst on China, considers whether the BRI is becoming an obsolete concept. The host is Duncan Bartlett from the SOAS China Ins...

In a bid to strengthen ties with Western nations, Xi Jinping has issued a stern warning against "decoupling" from China's economy. He urged leaders to view China's development as an asset, not a threat. Nevertheless, official data reveals a sharp decline in Chinese imports to the United States. In this podcast, Thomas Gatley, China Strategist at Gavekal Dragonomics, reflects on...

Supplying state secrets to another country is a crime which carries a heavy penalty in China. TV reporter Cheng Lei spent several years in prison for espionage, although her family and supporters insist she was innocent. Now she’s been released and is back home in Australia. In this podcast James Laurenceson, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydne...

China’s Communist Party has a particular way in which it wants its story to be told. However, some people challenge its interpretation of history. They’re keen that dark periods of China’s recent past - such as the Cultural Revolution - are not erased from memory. Some counter-historians are prepared to take great risks in the face of state-censorship. In this podcast, Pulitzer Prize-winning journ...

Powerful military forces are amassed in East Asia and in war games, America and China role play deadly encounters. China says America is stoking the fire of regional tensions, while the US insists it is the duty of its armed forces to keep the peace through deterrence. In this podcast, Dr Zuri Linetsky, a research fellow at the Eurasia Group Foundation, explains what he learned about the balance o...

China is pushing hard to play a greater role in international affairs, often at the expense of the United States. It sees itself as a peace-broker and an initiator of dialogue between quarreling nations. But what is the ideology which guides grand plans such as Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative? Regular host Duncan Bartlett is joined by Steve Tsang, Director of the SOAS China Institute. For...

China is coming to terms with a worrying symbol of economic decline: deflation. Falling prices are linked to a slump in the property market and a decline in exports, hitting many businesses hard. In this podcast, Duncan Wrigley, Chief China Plus Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics explains why this represents a problem for the global economy. The host is regular presenter, Duncan Bartlett. For in...

China’s spies are active in many countries and are sometimes intercepted and exposed. Meanwhile, Western countries, especially America, have developed sophisticated systems to monitor China through massive intelligence gathering. In this podcast, Jonathan Berkshire Miller from the Macdonald Laurier Institute explains how to measure the success of a spy in a conversation with regular host, Duncan B...

The Internet of Things has revolutionised how we interact with technology, seamlessly connecting people, devices, and data. China is making an enormous financial investment in this field of technology - aiming for unprecedented global reach. In this podcast, Charles Parton, an Associate Fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, explains to host Duncan Bartlett why he is concerned about the security im...

The UK government has taken a relatively hawkish approach to China, with the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, declaring that Beijing poses the “biggest challenge of our age to global security and prosperity”. Nevertheless, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly travelled to Beijing with the goal to stabilise relations. In this podcast Duncan Bartlett discusses Britain’s dilemma over China with guest present...

Throughout the course of history, China has exerted enormous influence over Korea. Korean kings were obliged to pay homage to Chinese emperors yet in the modern era, the relationship is in flux. The pro-US policies of President Yoon Suk-Yeol are causing some people in China to accuse the South Koreans of disloyalty. In this podcast, host Duncan Bartlett is joined from Seoul by Rory Green, Chief Ch...

The Pentagon says that China has repeatedly turned down its requests to hold high level talks between army commanders. Experts worry that the lack of dialogue heightens the risk of a miscalculation leading to conflict. In this podcast, Howard Zhang, China Editor at the BBC, appraises the situation in a conversation with regular host, Duncan Bartlett, Editor of Asian Affairs magazine. For informati...

Russia and China claim to have a “no limits” partnership. Nevertheless, the invasion of Ukraine has created a rift. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that China would uphold an “independent and impartial position” on Ukraine and will seek a political settlement. In this podcast, Dr Moritz Rudolf, from the Yale University Law School's Pau...

China is on course to reach its targets for wind and solar power five years ahead of time, helping shore up its position as the world leader in renewable energy. However, the Chinese government is also building many new coal-fired power stations and fossil fuels are expected to make up a significant proportion of the country’s energy mix for decades to come. In this podcast, host Duncan Bartlett d...

Joe Biden has used tough language about Xi Jinping, saying he “does not have a democratic bone in his body” and describing him as a dictator. The Chinese complain they are being provoked. In this podcast, Bill Bishop, author of the Sinocism newsletter, shares his views on President Biden’s choice of language. He speaks with the podcast’s regular host, Duncan Bartlett, Editor of Asian Affairs. For...

The transatlantic alliance, known as NATO, is looking to the East. The leaders of Japan and South Korea joined its 2023 summit in Lithuania as observers and the meeting ended with a joint statement from NATO members which included many scathing remarks about China. In this podcast, renowned author and Sinologist Jonathan Fenby offers his analysis of the way NATO and China perceive each other. The...

Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has been asserting itself as a confident and strong country. But how firm are the foundations of Xi’s power and what are the risks associated with a system in which one person has so much influence and authority? In this podcast, Bernhard Bartsch from the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) discusses Xi Jinping with regular host, Duncan Bartlett,...

China’s economy is struggling to regain momentum following the pandemic. Dwindling export demand has held back the manufacturing sector and there’s been a slump in property prices. In this podcast, Duncan Wrigley, Chief China Plus Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, discusses the options available to help revive China’s fortunes with regular host, Duncan Bartlett. For information about the SOAS...

The Republican politician who chairs Washington’s Select Committee on China, Mike Gallagher, has said that he views the ruling Chinese Communist Party as "as an enemy of the United States." Other members of his party are also vocal in their criticism of China, with many describing it as a threat. In this podcast, James McGregor, Chairman of APCO Worldwide’s Greater China region and Zuri...

Xi Jinping challenges the liberal values of the west and hopes to forge a new world order which does not denigrate China’s Communist party system. This has major implications for China’s role within international institutions and its relations with other countries. In this podcast, Dr Moritz Rudolf from Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center discusses the ideology of President Xi’s “Global Civil...

President Biden is pursuing re-election for a second term, urging voters to give him four further years. He has promised a thaw in relations with China, yet intense competition between the superpowers suggests a softening of tone is unlikely. In this podcast, James McGregor, chairman of APCO World wide's Greater China region, offers his expert perspective on the Biden Administration's fo...

There are allegations that China has been interfering in the Canadian political system and preventing free speech. In the spring of 2023, Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat, alleging that he had been harassing a politician. Soon afterwards, a Canadian frigate was intercepted by a Chinese warship in the Taiwan Strait. In this podcast, Zuri Linetsky, research fellow at the Eurasia Group Foundation i...