ChinaTalk

Daniel Camilo, a Portuguese expert with 10+ years in China’s game industry, walks through major trends. He talks about China’s rise to AAA, Genshin Impact’s live-service influence, Black Myth: Wukong’s global appeal, Steam’s unique role in China, nationalist-driven self-censorship, and forecasts for Phantom Blade and a possible live-service bubble.

Lauren Teixeira, writer on Chinese film and music; Afra Wang, researcher of China and internet culture; Minh Tran, internet-culture writer who coined 'Chinamaxxing'. They explore the rise of Chinese short-form videos, why young Americans are drawn to the glossy China aesthetic, how censorship and algorithms shape what viewers see, and where curated online shine breaks from on-the-ground realities.

Edward Luttwak, renowned strategist and historian who advised governments and wrote Coup d'État and The Rise of China Versus the Logic of Strategy, discusses technological step-changes in warfare. He traces formative wartime influences, classical books that shaped his thinking, deterrence psychology toward Iran and China, and contrasts strengths of democracies versus autocracies.

Justin, an analytical panelist with historical anecdotes, and Eric, a military-minded analyst, discuss failed invasions, Benedict Arnold's rise and treachery, and limits on military roles in domestic law enforcement. They examine Canadian strategic history, meme-driven political theater, protests versus insurgency narratives, and the prospects and risks of strikes on Iran.

Jon Czin, former CIA analyst and NSC staffer, returns with concise China-military analysis. They dig into surprise PLA purges and what Zhang Gioxia's fall means for the Central Military Commission. Conversations cover public smear tactics, links to Taiwan readiness, succession risks, morale effects, and how investigations reshape incentives across the party and military.

Nathan Lambert, AI researcher at Interconnects.ai, sketches how agents and Claude Code reshape engineering workflows. Jasmine Sun, journalist at Jasmi.news, shares hands-on experiments with AI tooling and mainstream adoption stories. They riff on vibe-coding, agent orchestration, local models, automating research tasks, and playful prompts imagining apps for public figures.

Bryan Clark, a former U.S. Navy submariner turned naval force design and tech analyst. He breaks down the push for a Trump‑class battleship and why carriers eclipsed battleships. He examines the ambitious Golden Dome missile program and its execution risks. He discusses Greenland, alliance strains, Five Eyes tensions, and how political shifts reshape defense choices.

Dan Kim, former Chief Economist for the CHIPS Program, and Chris Miller, historian and author of Chip War, dive into the intricate world of economic security and industrial policy. They discuss the limitations of the CHIPS Act and explore what success truly means amid a complex geopolitical landscape. The duo contrasts invention with fast-following models, emphasizing the importance of resilience over self-sufficiency. They also address the need for robust metrics in industrial strategy and the implications of managed dependence in global supply chains.

Jon Czin, a former senior China analyst and current Brookings Institution fellow, dives into the evolving dynamics of U.S.-China relations. He explores the surprising calm between the two nations amid global upheaval and the potential triggers for chaos in 2026. Czin discusses Trump's resurgence and its implications on China’s strategy, contrasting past trade wars with a more prepared Beijing. He also examines how the U.S. has misread China's leverage, and provides insights into Taiwan tensions and broader geopolitical stakes.

Richard Danzig, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy and a national security expert, dives deep into the complexities of AI and cybersecurity. He highlights AI's existential threats to military systems and the urgent need for immediate action by the Department of Defense. Danzig warns against complacency and argues that the U.S. must invest in AI capabilities while balancing operational demands. He also discusses the vital role of collaboration between government and private sectors in ensuring national security and the pressing human costs as decision-making increasingly relies on AI.