China Considered

In this episode, Liz Economy sits down with Sarah Beran, a veteran US Foreign Service officer who served across six administrations, most recently as senior director for China and Taiwan at the National Security Council under President Biden. Beran traces her career from post-9/11 stints in the Middle East and South Asia, discussing how working outside of China early in her career gave her a sharper sense of how third countries assess their own interests when caught between Washington and Beijing. With experience across multiple administrations, the two touch on the contrasts between Republican and Democratic approaches to China policy, with Beran arguing that the ideal sits somewhere in between. The two conclude by looking ahead to the Trump-Xi summit and what possible outcomes we may or may not see. Recorded on May 12, 2026. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

In this episode of China Considered, Dr. Elizabeth Economy speaks with Randy Schriver and Mike Kuiken of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission about national security and economic policy towards China, and how the two are intertwined. They explain how the Commission monitors emerging risks, from advanced technologies like AI and quantum computing to vulnerabilities in supply chains and tracking scam centers abroad, culminating in a yearly report to Congress.  The conversation touches on the current US approach to “economic statecraft” and whether a more coordinated framework for export controls, sanctions, and trade policy could be beneficial. The discussion broadens to include rising geopolitical tensions—particularly around Taiwan—alongside China’s support for Russia and Iran and the implications of their growing coordination, concluding with an emphasis on the importance of better aligning US domestic capabilities and strengthening alliances to compete effectively in both economic and security domains. Recorded on April 27, 2026. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Nadia Schadlow, former deputy national security advisor and author of the 2017 U.S. National Security Strategy, discusses framing great-power competition and organizing strategy around four core national interests. She debates the limits of multilateral institutions, advocates state-led approaches to climate and development, assesses U.S. leverage before a potential Trump–Xi summit, and critiques U.S. responses to China’s Belt and Road.

Dr. Elizabeth Economy sits down with Dr. Miles Yu, who served as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's principal China policy advisor during the first Trump administration, discussing his journey from experiencing China's Cultural Revolution to shaping US policy at the State Department. Yu explains his role in shifting American policy during the first Trump administration from transactional engagement toward addressing ideological differences between the two systems, including elevating human rights and supporting Taiwan. The two then debate whether the second Trump administration represents continuity or departure from the first term's approach, particularly regarding democracy promotion and alliance-building.  Recorded on March 4, 2026. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Dr. Elizabeth Economy and Lingling Wei, Chief China Correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, sit down for a wide ranging conversation on China’s purges, her personal story and look ahead to US-China relations for 2026. They begin with the recent ouster of General Zhang Youxia's from China's Central Military Commission and what it reveals about Xi Jinping's consolidation of power ahead of the 2026 Party Congress. Wei then shares her personal journey from being inspired by her mother to take up journalism in China to being expelled by Beijing in 2020, and how she continues reporting on China. The two then conclude with a discussion on the US and China. Wei describes U.S.-China relations as a "tactical pause" where both sides pursue strategic decoupling while managing a "messy separation," with China building its economy on a "war footing" for potential conflict over Taiwan. Lastly, the two agree on the need to understand everyday Chinese struggles, not just Xi's policies, even as Beijing turns the country into a "black box" for foreign reporters. Recorded on January 31, 2026. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Dr. Elizabeth Economy sits down with Dr. Rowena He to explore her journey from participating in pro-democracy demonstrations during the 1989 Tiananmen protests to becoming a leading scholar on Chinese human rights. She recounts how the June 4th crackdown shattered her generation's hopes, forcing survivors to publicly conform while doing their best to keep the memory of the movement alive. The two then turn to He’s experience teaching at the Chinese University of Hong Kong during the 2019 protests, where she supported students while drawing connections to 1989, before being forced to flee Hong Kong in 2022 under threatening circumstances. He emphasizes that international support and pressure on human rights remain crucial, not just morally but practically, since human rights violations in China ultimately impact the entire world, and insists that despite decades of setbacks, history will ultimately favor those fighting for truth and justice. Recorded on January 12, 2026. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Dr. Elizabeth Economy sits down with Patrick McGee, Financial Times technology journalist and author of "Apple in China," discussing how Apple's deep integration into China's manufacturing ecosystem inadvertently helped build China into the industrial powerhouse it is today. McGee traces Apple's journey from near-bankruptcy in the late 1990s to becoming deeply dependent on Chinese manufacturing, explaining how Apple didn't just outsource production but actively trained Chinese factories and transferred sophisticated manufacturing knowledge that later benefited competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi. The two explore critical inflection points, including Apple's partnership with Foxconn, political tensions with Xi Jinping's government in 2013, and Tim Cook's decision to double down on China rather than diversify despite growing risks. McGee argues that Apple's current dependence on China is so profound that meaningful diversification to India or the United States faces enormous practical and economic obstacles, with Chinese manufacturing capabilities now potentially surpassing Apple's own expertise. The episode concludes with McGee advocating for a realistic U.S. policy that accepts manufacturing across allies, while warning that Americans fundamentally underestimate how technologically sophisticated China has become. Recorded on December 10, 2025. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Dr. Elizabeth Economy talks with Dr. Bonny Lin about China's evolving security posture and military ambitions under Xi Jinping. Lin explains how China's goals extend beyond regional dominance to achieving global parity with or superiority over the United States, tracing major inflection points including South China Sea island-building, military reforms, and the strategic partnership with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The two then discuss ongoing purges within the Chinese military, and in turn, what these upheavals mean for military competence and readiness. The conversation then turns to Taiwan, where Lin argues that Xi Jinping's conditions for unification have become far more stringent than his predecessors and warns that the late 2020s could be particularly dangerous for cross-strait relations. They conclude with an analysis of the broader implications of China's alignment with Russia, North Korea, and Iran, and recommendations for U.S. policy to capitalize on Chinese missteps while strengthening alliances. Recorded on November 11, 2025. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Dr. Elizabeth Economy talks with Dr. Joanna Lewis and Dr. Scott Moore to explore China's commanding position in the global clean energy sector and its far-reaching implications. The two experts explain how China has become both the world's largest manufacturer and consumer of clean energy technologies, dominating supply chains from raw materials through finished products like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. The conversation tackles the complex question of whether China can be considered a climate leader, revealing a mixed picture of impressive renewable energy investments alongside continued heavy coal dependence. Additionally, the three address China's recent export restrictions on rare earth materials, examining whether this move strengthens or undermines China's strategic position in ongoing trade tensions with the United States. The discussion concludes with recommendations for U.S. policy, including avoiding the reversal of clean energy progress and potentially negotiating deals with Chinese companies to keep American industries competitive. Recorded on October 23, 2025. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.

Host Dr. Elizabeth Economy interviews Dr. Chenjian Li, discussing the fundamental differences between the Chinese and US systems. He highlights China's rapid progress in biotech and pharmaceutical development, predicting the country may produce its first truly innovative drug within five years.  While the U.S. excels at "zero-to-one" grassroots innovation stemming from decades of basic research, China has traditionally focused on "one-to-100" government-supported scaling and is now increasingly investing in breakthrough innovation. The conversation concludes with Dr. Li's recommendations for U.S. competitiveness: continuing robust basic science funding, maintaining large-scale translational research programs, and preserving America's traditional openness to global talent, which he argues brings not just technical expertise but also scientific thinking and open inquiry to societies worldwide. Recorded on October 1, 2025. ABOUT THE SERIES China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.