China In Context

Australia is facing the most challenging strategic circumstances since the second world war, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. His government has labelled the intense competition between China and the United States “the defining feature of our region and our time”. Yet under Mr Albanese’s leadership, Australia is attempting to “stabilise” the relationship with China, and the Prime Mini...

The French President Emmanuel Macron has drawn criticism for suggesting that Europe should not get embroiled in the issue of Taiwan. Following a meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing, Emmanuel Macron suggested to reporters that the Americans and the Chinese are ramping up tension on the issue and that Europe would be wise to step back. In this podcast, Hanns Maull, Senior Research Associate at the Me...

Xi Jinping has an ambition to make the yuan a currency that is in widespread use internationally. Russia now accepts Chinese yuan in exchange for oil and gas and Brazil is also considering using yuan, rather than dollars, when trading with China. In this podcast, experts consider the role of the yuan in international finance and the risks involved. Zuri Linetsky, research fellow at the Eurasia Gro...

Xi Jinping is keen to deepen China's links with Arab states and countries in the Persian Gulf. Investment in the region's infrastructure is supported through the Belt and Road Initiative. In return, China expects to be able to secure long-term contracts for its energy. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking credit for a recent rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Ar...

China’s leaders have claimed that the country will contribute to one third of global economic growth in 2023. They also boast that China is more stable than many other countries, which are experiencing problems related to high inflation and bank failures. Yet China faces economic pressures which seem to be holding back a strong rebound following the lifting of Zero-Covid restrictions. In this podc...

China and the United States agreed to work together on climate issues in 2021. However, since then, a deterioration in their relationship has hampered efforts to curb emissions and work towards the Paris Agreement's goals for tackling climate change. In this podcast, Isabel Hilton of China Dialogue discusses China’s environmental dilemmas with guest host Zuri Linetsky, from the Eurasia Group...

China has grand plans for Africa. It has pledged to increase its investment in the continent, thus "narrowing the North-South gap and supporting and assisting other developing countries in accelerating development." But given China's own relatively slow rate of economic growth, can it afford to do this? And how should African nations weigh up the costs and benefits of teaming up wit...

China is conducting a sustained global campaign to promote its interests. In some cases, it tries to win support by investing in the infrastructure of other countries. It also makes a concerted effort to persuade people to think positively about China by sending upbeat messages through the media. This approach is sometimes termed “soft power” and it is distinctly different from the sharp power of...

The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will play a prominent international role in 2023. She will attend a summit of G7 leaders in Japan and Joe Biden may well invite her to Washington to try to shore up the Transatlantic alliance. Meanwhile, Italy’s relationship with China is in flux. A few years ago, there was much talk of 'win-win' relationships. However, Ms Meloni displays a natio...

The Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida issues regular warnings to the leaders of other G7 countries about risks to international security. His concerns include Russia's invasion of Ukraine, North Korea's growing missile prowess and rising tensions around Taiwan – including Chinese military exercises that involve firing missiles into waters near Japan. In this podcast, regular present...

Young men in Taiwan must ramp up their battle skills. From 2024, they will be conscripted into the army for a full year. During this time, they will receive training in how to fight at close-quarters battle as well as learning how to fire missiles and operate drones. The government says the training is necessary to deal with a threat from China. But how do young people themselves feel about the is...

In 2022, China's population fell by an estimated 850,000 people, triggering dramatic reporting in the media. A headline in The New York Times said it heralded a demographic crisis. Reuters talked of "alarm", while a writer on the South China Morning Post insisted that the demographic shift marked "a watershed moment in Chinese history". In this podcast, Paul Hodges, Founde...

The international media asked an important question in November 2022: Is China experiencing the start of a revolution? The debate was sparked by the actions of protesters in many Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, holding up blank sheets of paper.  Xi Jinping dismissed the so-called "white paper protests" as merely a sign of frustration by students and young people. But soon...

In the view of Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, East Asia could be the next Ukraine. He has warned that "the situation around Japan is becoming increasingly severe with attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force." Mr Kishida has two countries in mind: North Korea and Japan’s long-term regional rival, China. The fear is that a war could break out, drawing Japan int...

There is a mood of anxiety as China celebrates the Lunar New Year. With families and friends gathering for a season of feasting, there is a worry that there could be a surge in Covid-19 infections, costing many lives. In late 2022, the Chinese government ended its so-called “Zero-Covid” policy and lifted travel restrictions. In this podcast, Mark Williams, Chief Asia Economist at Capital Economics...

There would be catastrophic consequences if China invades Taiwan and tries to reunify the island with the mainland by force. Taiwan has said it will fight back with advanced weapons supplied by the US. Joe Biden says the American military would become involved. As well as the human cost, the economic consequences would also be severe. In this podcast, renowned Sinologist Charles Parton considers i...

The U.S. Department of Defense maintains that China is using increasingly aggressive and bullying behaviour on the Taiwan Strait and is planning an invasion. Beijing dismisses this as an exaggeration and berates the US for stirring up anti-Chinese feelings on the island. Meanwhile, other countries in Asia warn of catastrophe in the event of a war. In this podcast, Dr Zuri Linetsky of the Eurasia G...

Politicians in the UK are careful about how the official aid budget is spent. The money is expected to meet the needs of refugees coming to Britain, as well as helping people in regions affected by war, food shortages and natural disasters. In such circumstances, the government intends to slash aid to China. In this podcast, aid commissioner Sir Hugh Bayley discusses how the decision was reached w...

Chinese state media keeps itself busy finding things to criticise about other countries, with America the number one target. Contentious elections - such as the recent US midterms - gain a lot of attention in the Chinese press and are not portrayed in a favourable light. There’s also plenty of coverage of America’s violent crimes, social problems and corruption scandals. In this podcast, Mark Hann...

At the 20th Party Congress meeting held in Beijing, Xi Jinping reassured the faithful that he will remain at the helm of the vessel, even though he warned that high winds, choppy waters and even dangerous storms lie on the journey ahead. Such rhetoric is designed to evoke memories of brave emperors and mythical adventurers, for although Mr Xi describes himself as a twenty-first century Marxist, he...

As the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping has capacity to take decisive action on many issues, especially as he has surrounded himself with loyalists on the Standing Committee of the Politburo. He has identified 'security' as one of the top priorities for his third term in power. In this podcast, Howard Zhang, Editor of the BBC's Chinese service, considers what tha...

The Chinese Communist Party believes that the nation is destined to lead the world, with Xi Jinping at the helm. Yet in Washington, there’s bipartisan consensus that China presents a serious threat to the stability of the global order. Other countries face a dilemma of picking a side between the great powers. In this podcast, renowned Sinologist Charles Parton explains the gap between China’s view...

Xi Jinping receives more media attention than almost anyone else in the world, although he’s never done a sit-down interview, or taken questions at a regular press conference. The media were able to take a close look at him and other Chinese leaders during the recent Congress meeting of the Communist Party, held in Beijing. Howard Zhang, Editor of the BBC’s Chinese service, analyses how the press...

There was a dramatic moment at the 20th Party Congress when former leader Hu Jintao was unexpectedly escorted off stage, after what appears to have been a power struggle with his successor, Xi Jinping. In this podcast, Professor Steve Tsang, Director of the SOAS China Institute explains why Hu Jintao’s departure could mark a decisive break with a collective approach to leadership, as Xi Jinping ti...

When US presidents deliver a State of the Union address, it’s generally big news for a few days, before their words are largely forgotten. However, when a Chinese leader speaks to the Party Congress, his words are remembered for years. Long speeches delivered in the Great Hall of the People are diligently studied by those looking for political information. Dr Holly Snape from the University of Gla...