This week, Kaiser and Jeremy speak with Michael Schuman, a reporter and writer who’s been covering China for 23 years, about his new book, Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World. The book sets out to present world history as China has understood it, and what that understanding of history tells us about what the China of today really wants.

11:12: Notable historical books on China that have withstood the test of time

17:48: What Chinese exceptionalism means

34:45: When historical context matters, and when it doesn’t

42:11: Michael Schuman’s insights on what China wants

Recommendations:

Jeremy: The work of SupChina’s very own society and culture editor, Jiayun Feng. Click here to explore more of her work.

Michael: The Analects, a work attributed to Confucius and his peers.

Kaiser: The “Frankenstein” That Wasn’t: A Realistic Appraisal of Today’s China, an essay by Damien Ma of MacroPolo.

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This podcast was edited and produced by Kaiser Kuo and Jason MacRonald.

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‘Superpower Interrupted’: A conversation with veteran China journalist Michael Schuman about his Chinese history of the world