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The 2025 SCO Summit recently concluded in Tianjin amid a rapidly changing global landscape and the rapid rise of AI technology. How the SCO positions itself, enhances cohesion, and responds to technological disruption has drawn wide attention. In this episode, CISS China Forum is joined by four distinguished experts — professor Zhao Huasheng, China Forum expert, and professor from Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, Dr. Zhao Long, Deputy Director of the Institute for International Strategic and Security Studies and Professor at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Dr. Zhou Mi, China Forum expert, and Deputy Director of the Institute of American and Oceania Study at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, and Ms. Xiao Qian, Deputy Director of CISS and Vice Dean of the Institute for AI International Governance at Tsinghua University—to analyze the summit’s outcomes and the challenges ahead from geopolitical, economic, security, and AI governance perspectives.

Jin Ling, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, sheds light on the shifting landscape of China-EU relations amidst growing multipolarity. She discusses the importance of adapting trade dynamics, moving beyond accusations of unfair competition, and prioritizing dialogue. Jin emphasizes opportunities for cooperation on climate change and the digital economy while navigating cultural integration. She also contrasts the EU's value-based diplomacy with China's civilizational approach, urging a deeper understanding of cultural diversity for improved collaboration.

As U.S.-China relations grow increasingly complex, people-to-people exchange remains an irreplaceable bridge between the two nations. However, lingering uncertainties—especially those stemming from student visa policy shifts during the Trump administration—have cast a shadow over bilateral youth exchange. In this episode, the China Forum of the Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University, is honored to feature Neysun Mahboubi, Director of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations at the University of Pennsylvania. He will share his reflections on the current state of U.S.-China people-to-people exchange and youth dialogue, drawing on his recent visit, leading a group of American students to China. Through these firsthand interactions, Mahboubi explores how young people engage in meaningful cross-cultural conversations and expresses his hopes for the future of bilateral people-to-people exchange.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, a significant milestone for bilateral ties. Against the backdrop of an evolving international landscape, a sound and stable China-EU relationship is mutually beneficial and of wider global importance. In this episode, we have invited Professor Cui Hongjian， director of the Center for the EU and Regional Development Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University to share insights from five decades of China-EU relations and discusses future cooperation. Professor Cui emphasizes that successful collaboration requires not only identifying common ground but also developing joint problem-solving approaches.

As the United States under President Trump enters a new phase of strategic competition with China, a fresh wave of tariffs in 2025 has reignited tensions across the Pacific. Is this conflict a passing phase of protectionism, or the beginning of a long-term global realignment? In this episode of the CISS Podcast, we are honored to speak with Professor John Gong, a leading expert on international economics, to unpack the structural forces behind this trade war. From industrial decoupling and subsidy races to innovation strategy and geopolitical bargaining, this conversation sheds light on what’s really at stake in the China-US rivalry.

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.

Against the backdrop of technological innovation profoundly reshaping international security dynamics and great power strategic competition, how do emerging technologies become key variables influencing China-U.S. strategic stability? The China Forum of Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) invited CISS Director Da Wei and University of Pennsylvania Assistant Professor Fiona Cunningham for an in-depth dialogue on the impact of emerging technologies on traditional nuclear deterrence theory, nuclear strategy, and the future landscape of China-U.S. competition and cooperation.

Under Trump’s second administration, the United States has undergone significant adjustments in both domestic and foreign policy, dramatically increasing the uncertainty of China-U.S. relations. In this episode, CISS China Forum invites Susan A. Thornton, a retired senior U.S. diplomat with rich experience with the U.S. State Department in Eurasia and East Asia, and currently a Senior Fellow at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center, for an in-depth discussion with Professor Da Wei, Director of CISS. on critical dimensions of China-U.S. relations such as the dynamics of fentanyl issues, potential implications of the Trump 2.0 era, and the role of professional diplomacy in current geopolitical landscape. Ms. Thornton also shares her personal experience teaching at Yale, exploring the role of education, cultural exchange and the younger generation in shaping future China-U.S. relations.

In this insightful discussion, Jeffrey Ding, a professor at George Washington University and an expert on technology diffusion, shares his thoughts on the modern competition driven by general-purpose technologies (GPTs). He critiques the glorification of breakthrough innovations and highlights the significance of gradual advancements and workforce skills. Ding discusses the historical impact of GPTs on military effectiveness and advocates for a diffusion-centric strategy in the US-China AI rivalry, emphasizing the need for improved technical education and workforce growth.

During the 61st Munich Security Conference on February 14-16, discussions were held on European security, the Ukraine crisis, and other global security topics. On February 15, Ambassador Fu Ying, former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, was invited to a panel discussion on the topic of “Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific?”, where she emphasized, “China is committed to maintaining stability in the South China Sea and promoting regional economic cooperation”. This episode showcases a selection of Ambassador Fu Ying’s speech at the 61st Munich Security Conference, sharing her views on the China’s position on the South China Sea.