Zhou Bo

Zhou Bo, a retired senior colonel in the People's Liberation Army and military affairs commentator, joins historian Rana Mitter for an engaging discussion on China's military evolution. They explore China's accelerated naval expansion and advancements in hypersonic missiles, revealing Xi Jinping's purges aimed at a loyal military. Topics include the implications of China's no-first-use policy, Taiwan's status, and the lessons learned from Russia's actions in Ukraine. The conversation emphasizes the need for US-China military dialogue amid growing tensions.

We’re back! We’ll be publishing five brand new episodes of Face-Off bi-weekly starting today. In this episode, we welcome back Zhou Bo, a retired colonel in the People’s Liberation Army.  Xi Jinping has unleashed a massive purge of the Chinese army, the biggest since the early days of Communist China. Nearly three dozen senior generals have been demoted or disappeared. Almost all have been accused of corruption. Then this past January the most senior general, General Zhang Youxia, essentially Xi Jinping's number two in the army, disappeared.  No-one outside of China, and not many inside China, seem to know what’s going on. There's a reason the Chinese military is known as a black box.  With Colonel Zhou, Jane discusses everything from Greenland to Taiwan to China’s military strength in the South China Sea.  Guest: Zhou Bo, Retired Senior Colonel in the People’s Liberation Army Book Recommendations: Should The World Fear China by Zhou Bo China’s Quest for Military Supremacy by Joel Wuthnow and Phillip Saunders Face-Off: The U.S. vs. China is produced in partnership with ⁠Rowhome Productions⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired Senior Colonel Zhou Bo, a leading voice on Chinese military affairs, teams up with Rana Mitter, a Harvard expert on wartime memory. They delve into the significance of China's recent military parade, reflecting on its impact on national identity and geopolitical narratives. Discussions explore advancements in China's military, its relations with regional players like India and Taiwan, and the balance of power with the U.S. The duo also critiques the oversimplification of historical narratives surrounding World War II and its implications for contemporary global strategies.

Zhou Bo, a retired PLA senior colonel and Tsinghua security fellow, explains China’s multifaceted identity and how it sees its global role. He discusses Western fear and historical narrative, Belt and Road and multilateral initiatives, China's stance on Russia-Ukraine and potential mediator role, US-China rivalry and South China Sea dynamics. He urges China to be powerful yet attractive.

Zhou Bo, a retired senior colonel and military expert, delves into whether the world should fear China's growing power. He discusses China's military evolution, contrasting it with U.S. strategies and emphasizing a peaceful rise through diplomatic initiatives like the Belt and Road. Zhou challenges misconceptions about China's defense spending and promotes the idea that a prosperous China could foster global harmony, drawing on historical trends of self-restraint and envisioned future cooperation.