ChinaPower

This episode explores the evolving relationship between China and Africa, especially the 53 African states that participate in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Our guest, Professor Chris Alden, joins us to discuss the outcomes of the most recent FOCAC Summit, as well as China’s role as an infrastructure financier on the continent. He also examines the growing importance of security issues in Sino-African relations and envisions how the China-Africa relationship may develop in the future. Professor Chris Alden is a Professor in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and is a Senior Research Fellow with the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). He has written numerous books and articles in internationally recognized journals, and most recently co-edited China and Africa – Building Peace and Security Cooperation on the Continent. Prof. Alden has held fellowships at institutions including Cambridge University, the Institute of Social Science, and the University of Tokyo.

This episode explores the relationship between China and the European Union’s 28 member states, as well as the impact of the US on China-EU ties. Our guest, Ms. Theresa Fallon, analyzes China’s increased interest in the region amid tension with the US and assesses the efficacy of initiatives such as the 16+1 Summit and Belt and Road Initiative in strengthening China-EU ties. She also predicts where the relationship is headed and how the US should view a closer China-EU relationship.   Ms. Theresa Fallon is the founder and director of the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies (CREAS) in Brussels. She is concurrently a member of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Ms. Fallon’s current research is focused on EU-Asia relations, Sino-Russian relations, maritime security, global governance, and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. She has testified numerous times to the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Security and Defense, and has been featured in international media including the BBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.

This episode explores China’s standing in BRICS, a group of five countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) with fast-developing economies and growing regional influence. Our guest, Duncan Innes-Ker, explains the major outcomes of the 10 BRICS summit, describes the group’s increasing economic engagement with Africa, and analyzes China’s position as the largest economy in BRICS. He also considers how the BRICS countries may develop over time, both individually and as a group.   Duncan Innes-Ker heads a team of analysts covering Asia in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Country Analysis division in Hong Kong. He has helped produce customized research and analysis on many topics, and has shared his perspectives on Asia with senior corporate executives, academics, and diplomatic officials. Duncan is also a frequent commentator for news services such as the BBC, CNN, and CNBC.

This episode explores the ins and outs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) nearly two decades after its founding, as well as China’s evolving role within the organization. Our guest, Dr. Alexander Cooley, uncovers the current challenges and opportunities for the organization as the SCO’s membership and China’s foreign policy aspirations expand. Dr. Cooley analyzes potential future areas of contention and cooperation between China and other SCO member states. Dr. Alexander Cooley is Director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University and a professor of political science at Barnard College. He has written extensively on Eurasian and Central Asian politics, including opinion pieces for The New York Times and Foreign Affairs. Additionally, Dr. Cooley serves on multiple international advisory boards and policy committees.

This episode explores the latest public diplomacy efforts that Beijing has carried out in the East Asia and Pacific region to boost favorable views toward China. Through the lens of AidData’s ground-breaking report, Ties That Bind: Quantifying China’s public diplomacy and its “good neighbor” effect, our guest Samantha Custer analyzes the methods, objectives, and successes of China’s regional public diplomacy and political influence activities. Custer also delves into the implications of China’s state-sponsored strategies for the greater region and the field of public diplomacy.   Samantha Custer is the Director of Policy Analysis at AidData, a research lab at the College of William and Mary that produced the Ties That Bind report, in partnership with the CSIS China Power Project and Asia Society Policy Institute. She previously co-authored World Bank papers on open data and citizen feedback with the Open Development Technology Alliance and assisted former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright teach a foreign policy course. Additionally, Ms. Custer has advised multilingual education policy with SIL International and coordinated the advocacy efforts of the Asia Multilingual Education Working Group for UNESCO.

This episode explores China’s intensified activities and interests in the South China Sea in recent years. Our guest, Bill Hayton, unpacks the history of the various parties’ sovereignty claims, and discusses how China’s actions in the South China Sea have led to greater regional tensions and increased international criticism, including from the United States. He explains China’s militarization and coercive tactics in the South China Sea, assesses the legitimacy of China’s claims, and discusses the current as well as future role of China in the region.   Bill Hayton is an associate fellow with the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, and has written extensively on Southeast Asian issues and the South China Sea. He has also worked for BBC News for 20 years and is currently a reporter and producer with BBC World News TV in London.

This episode of the ChinaPower Podcast is brought to you in conjunction with SupChina’s Sinica Podcast, hosted by Kaiser Kuo. He interviews Bonnie Glaser about China’s security environment, including the significance of the Trump-Kim summit for China, tense US-China trade relations, China’s regional economic and security influence, and the effects of Beijing’s militarization in the South China Sea. Ms. Glaser also expands on the relationship between the US and Taiwan under Tsai Ing-wen and the potential implications for cross-Strait relations.  Kaiser Kuo is the host and co-founder of the Sinica Podcast, a weekly series that unpacks current events in China, and the Editor-at-Large for SupChina.com. Previously, Mr. Kuo worked as the Director of International Communications for Baidu.

This episode discusses recent tensions in the U.S.-China trade relationship, including the demands from each side as well as the implications of a U.S.-China trade war. Our guest, Dan Rosen, joins us to discuss the Trump administration’s approach to trade relations with China, the significance of the widening bilateral trade deficit, and the ideal outcomes for both countries. He also expands upon the growing intersections between U.S. economic and security policy in regards to China.   Dan Rosen is a founding partner of Rhodium Group with extensive experience analyzing China’s economy and U.S.-China economic relations. He is also an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University and is affiliated with a number of economics-focused U.S. think tanks. Dan was previously Senior Advisor for International Economic Policy at the White House National Economic Council and National Security Council.

This episode discusses the impact of China’s authoritarian system on its emergence as a great power. Our guest, Carl Minzner, joins us to discuss his book, End of an Era: How China’s Authoritarian Revival is Undermining Its Rise, where he argues that China’s stagnant government system is slowly erasing the positive changes of the reform era. Carl Minzner is a professor at the Fordham University School of Law, where he specializes in Chinese law and governance. He previously served as Senior Counsel for the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Additionally, he was an International Affairs Fellow for the Council on Foreign Relations and a Yale-China Legal Education Fellow at the Xibei Institute of Politics.

This episode dissects current dynamics between the US and China, addressing the reasons for increased friction and competition in the bilateral relationship. Our guest, Professor Da Wei, joins us to discuss how both countries view the relationship today and how these perspectives have changed as the US-China power gap has narrowed. He also analyzes the nuances in terminology used to describe China and its relationship with the US, and forecasts the likely future direction of US-China relations. Dr. Da Wei is Assistant President as well as a professor at the University of International Relations in Beijing. He also serves as the director of the University’s Center for International Strategy and Security Studies. Previously, Da Wei was director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR). His research fields include US-China relations, American and Chinese foreign policy, and security policies.