China In Context

The crisis at the Chinese property group Evergrande Group has brought into focus the exorbitant lifestyle of its chairman, Hui Ka Yan. After vying with Jack Ma for the title of Asia's richest man, Mr Hui's fortune is plunging, as his company defaults on crucial debt repayments. Neither the government nor the central bank seem prepared to bail him out. Yet with liabilities running into hundreds of billions of dollars, Evergrande is seen by investors as a reminder of the risks of doing business with China. In this podcast, Paul Hodges, Chairman Of New Normal Consulting discusses the issues with Duncan Bartlett, Editor of Asian Affairs magazine.    China In Context: Episode 38   Broadcast date: 26 October, 2021________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

What does it feel like to live on an island which the Economist magazine recently described as “the most dangerous place on earth?” Most people in Taiwan try to get on with their lives as normal, despite the undercurrent of fear caused by a threat of invasion by China. Tensions between China and Taiwan are at an all-time high, just as relations between the US and China reach an all-time low. In this podcast, Liam Gavan Gibson from Taiwan News explains the mood in Taipei and analyses the big speeches given by the presidents of Taiwan and the PRC in the autumn of 2021. The podcast is hosted by Duncan Bartlett, the Editor of Asian Affairs magazine.    China In Context: Episode 37   Broadcast date: 19 October, 2021________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

There are a lot of choices on the menu of China's restaurants these days and shops are brimming with ingredients from all around the world. As the disposable income of China’s middle class grows, people want to eat better. Of course, many people still have a taste for traditional dishes. But there’s also a craving for food made from foreign ingredients, such as premium rib-eye steak from the United States, or sweet pumpkins from Japan. In this podcast, Professor Bob Ash from the SOAS China Institute explains the social and political implications of this change in eating habits. The podcast is hosted by Duncan Bartlett, the Editor of Asian Affairs magazine.    China In Context: Episode 36   Broadcast date: 12 October, 2021________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

No country in the world has experienced famines as severe as the ones which cost tens of millions of lives in China in the middle of the last century. Yet now China proudly claims there`s more than enough food for all its citizens and even plenty left over. As people get richer, their taste changes. That means more fish and meat on the table and it also increases demand for foreign treats. In this podcast, Professor Bob Ash from the SOAS China Institute discusses China's rich and varied food culture with Duncan Bartlett, the Editor of Asian Affairs magazine.    China In Context: Episode 35   Broadcast date: 5th October, 2021________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

Students in Hong Kong are being encouraged to study China in a new way. The curriculum is subject to approval by the Chinese Communist Party and encourages reflection on patriotism and adherence to the National Security Law, which was introduced following anti-China demonstrations in the city. Some university lecturers say the system is an affront to academic freedom. Other teachers are keen to dispel negative views of China derived from misleading media and fake news. In this podcast, the Director of the SOAS China Institute Steve Tsang talks about principles of teaching Chinese politics both in Hong Kong and in London. The host is Duncan Bartlett, Editor of Asian Affairs magazine.China In Context: Episode 34   Broadcast date: 28 September, 2021________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

Xi Jinping is a geopolitical superstar. Since he became China's leader in 2012, he has been the subject of an enormous number of press reports, documentaries, books and scholarly articles. Much of what we know about this powerful leader is based on what we know through the media, but can we trust the people who are relaying information about him? In this episode of China In Context, the BBC`s China Editor Howard Zhang explains how his team covers stories about Xi Jinping and reveals the difficulty of breaking through the barriers of secrecy and propaganda. The podcast is hosted by the Editor of Asian Affairs, Duncan Bartlett. China In Context: Episode 33   Broadcast date: 21 September, 2021 ________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

As China rises up the international news agenda, the clamour to report on its politics, social and domestic affairs intensifies. But that also means the Communist Party of China is sensitive to what is reported about the Chinese government and the country by the foreign media. In this week's episode of China In Context, the BBC China Editor Howard Zhang sets out his principles for covering the country in conversation with Duncan Bartlett.   China In Context: Episode 32   Broadcast date: 14 September, 2021 ________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

It has been more than three years since former US president Donald Trump launched a 'trade war' against China. The Chinese government says it was a waste of time - it insists the clash with the US hasn’t suppressed China's development and there’s still a massive amount of trade going on between the two countries. China set an economic growth target of about six percent for 2021 and it’s likely to easily surpass that, if official figures can be believed. Tommy Wu, lead economist for China at Oxford Economics uses his data-analytic skills to compare China and the US. The podcast is hosted by Duncan Bartlett.   China In Context: Episode 31   Broadcast date: 7th September, 2021 ________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

China’s leaders often boast of their country’s economic achievements, especially recently, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The official narrative is simple. While the rest of the world continues to endure great economic pain, China is almost back to full strength. In reality, the situation’s much more complicated - partly because GDP growth can be measured in various ways and it’s always presented in a very flattering light by the official Chinese media. And while some sectors and regions in China do seem to be booming, others are struggling. Tommy Wu, lead economist for China at Oxford Economics scrutinises the data with Duncan Bartlett, Editor of Asian Affairs magazine.     China In Context: Episode 30   Broadcast date: 31 August, 2021 ________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

The People's Republic of China is officially an atheist country – yet gods and immortals still hold great influence over people’s lives. There are hundreds of millions of followers of the main religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity and Islam – as well as Falun Gong, the largest of several banned new religious movements.  Those groups don’t have much in common theologically but each offers an alternative perspective on life to the ideology of the ruling Communist Party.  This often creates political tension. Stephen Chan, Professor of World Politics at SOAS looks at the changing perceptions of religion in China with podcast host Duncan Bartlett.   China In Context: Episode 29  Broadcast date: 24 August, 2021 ________________________________________The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.________________________________________SOAS China Institute (SCI) SCI Blog SCI on X SCI on LinkedIn SCI on Facebook SCI on Instagram For information about the SOAS China Institute Corporate Membership scheme, please contact SCI director Steve Tsang: steve.tsang@soas.ac.uk ________________________________________Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0