

ChinaPower
CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
A podcast unpacking critical issues underpinning China’s emergence as a global power.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 16, 2021 • 24min
A New Era in China’s International Development Cooperation: A Conversation with Stella Hong Zhang
In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Stella Hong Zhang joins us to discuss China’s new model of international development cooperation. Ms. Zhang analyzes China’s January 2021 white paper titled “China’s International Development Cooperation in the New Era”, the shift in China’s international development policy, and the implications that this shift has for both China and other nations around the world. She argues that the policy changes reflect China’s goal to be seen as a leader in global governance and its aim to shape discourse on China's domestic governance model and development achievements. Similarly, Ms. Zhang contends that this shift in China’s international development policy must be understood as part of Xi Jinping’s more assertive foreign policy and emphasis on expanding China’s relationships with other developing nations. Lastly, Ms. Zhang explains that China’s decision to frame its international development cooperation policy in moral language plays strongly to a domestic audience that is skeptical of providing resources to other countries while China itself is still developing. Stella Hong Zhang is a PhD candidate at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. She previously served as an international journalist for China’s Caixin media. Her research interests include China’s role in international development, the internationalization of China’s development state, and the overseas expansion of China’s state-owned enterprises.

Mar 2, 2021 • 28min
China and Myanmar after the 2021 Myanmar Coup: A Conversation with Derek Mitchell
In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Ambassador Derek Mitchell joins us to discuss the implications of the 2021 Myanmar coup for China-Myanmar relations. Ambassador Mitchell analyzes the current state of China-Myanmar relations, describes its historical development, and outlines China’s interests within the region after the coup. Ambassador Mitchell also examines which areas the United States and China can cooperate in Myanmar and which areas they likely cannot. He argues that while China faces widespread public antagonism amongst the population in Myanmar, it still commands significant influence due to the investments that it has made in Myanmar as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as its continued association with communist groups in northeastern Myanmar. Nonetheless, Ambassador Mitchell contends that Myanmar is not without leverage when it comes to interacting with China, as it can make use of its relations with Japan, Europe, the United States, and even Russia to prevent China from developing a monopolizing influence.Ambassador Derek Mitchell is currently the president of the National Democratic Institute. He has previously served as the United States Ambassador to Myanmar, the first U.S. Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma, and the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Ambassador Mitchell was previously a senior fellow, director for Asia, and director of the Southeast Asia Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Feb 16, 2021 • 28min
Small and Medium-Sized Powers' Response to China’s Rise: A Conversation with Luke Patey
In this episode, Dr. Luke Patey joins us to discuss the implications of China’s rise in a dynamic world and how the rest of the world should respond. Dr. Patey challenges the idea that an ascendant China will lead to a world in which small developing countries become a sphere of influence for China. Alternatively, he contends smaller nations are not content to play a subservient role and there is room for pushback when China overreaches. He stresses that middle powers such as Japan and India can play a significant role in shaping global affairs and the global economy. In addition, Dr. Patey contends that in advanced democracies, China’s economic power and its willingness to use that power are often exaggerated. Lastly, Dr. Patey argues national leaders should escape the hawks-and-doves dichotomy, explaining that the importance of China demands more nuance because various countries’ business, political, and security relations with China are interconnected. Dr. Luke Patey is a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies and a lead senior research fellow of the Africa oil and gas program at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. He is the author of How China Loses: The Pushback Against Chinese Global Ambitions. His current research focuses on China's foreign and security policy and Chinese foreign investment and trade, with a focus on China’s relations in Europe, Africa, and East Asia.

Feb 2, 2021 • 24min
China’s Wolf Warrior Diplomacy: A Conversation with Peter Martin
On this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Mr. Peter Martin joins us to discuss his recent book, "China's Civilian Army: The Making of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy." Chinese diplomacy in the past several years has become more assertive and its diplomats have used sharper language --hence the name wolf warrior diplomacy which comes from a Chinese film. Peter Martin's research traces the roots of wolf warrior diplomacy to the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and its first diplomat, Zhou Enlai. Martin discusses China's diplomacy today and its impact. He explains that although there are some critics in China of wolf warrior diplomacy, it is popular among the general public amid rising nationalist sentiment in the country. In addition, Mr. Martin discusses how both public opinion and the directives of Xi Jingping have combined to force China’s diplomatic corps to be assertive players in international relations. Lastly, Mr. Martin describes the motivations behind wolf-warrior diplomacy and how diplomats are being rewarded for their aggressive rhetoric and posture. Mr. Peter Martin is a political reporter for Bloomberg News. Mr. Martin has written extensively about China and U.S.-China relations. His latest book is, “China’s Civilian Army: The Making of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy,” which will be published in April 2021.

Jan 19, 2021 • 28min
Controlling Advanced Technology Exports: A Conversation with Roslyn Layton and James Lewis
In this episode, Dr. Roslyn Layton and Dr. James Lewis discuss how to control the proliferation of technologies for military use with a special focus on China. Our guests explain the history of US export policy regarding advanced technology, noting the delicate balance between opportunities for private enterprise and the needs of national security. They describe the Wassenar Agreement and its impact on current US advanced technology exports to China. Dr. Layton argues in favor of US designation of companies as military-end-users in China as one method to prevent US technology from being transferred to China’s military. Dr. Lewis analyzes China’s progress in its semiconductor industry, noting that China is still dependent on Western technology. Our guests also interpret China’s actions in retaliation to international technology export restrictions. Lastly, our guests evaluate how the Trump administration has acted in its approach to China and recommend actions the incoming Biden administration should take. Dr. Roslyn Layton is a visiting researcher at Aalborg University Center for Communication, Media, and Information Technologies and Senior Vice President at Strand Consult. Dr. Layton focuses on evidence-based policy for the information, communications, and digital technology industries. Dr. James Lewis is a senior vice president and director of the Strategic Technologies Program at CSIS. He has authored numerous publications on the relationship between technology, innovation, and national power.

Jan 15, 2021 • 1h 39min
China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 5
This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the last of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. Prior to the debate, Representative Rick Larsen delivered keynote remarks on the challenges and opportunities posed by China’s growing power and the view from Congress, followed by a Q&A conversation hosted by Bonnie Glaser, CSIS senior adviser for Asia and director of the China Power Project. Representative Rick Larsen represents the Second Congressional District of Washington State. Representative Larsen is a co-chair of the bipartisan US-China Working Group, which educates Members of Congress about bilateral issues through meetings and briefings with academic, business, and political leaders from the US and China. Representative Larsen has visited China eleven times. Following the keynote remarks, the China Power Project hosted a debate on the proposition: "Selective US-China economic decoupling will set back China’s emergence as a global high-tech leader." The Trump administration has imposed restrictions on exports to leading Chinese telecom and semiconductor companies. In addition, the US has taken measures to encourage American companies to diversify their production and supply chains in order to reduce reliance on China. Given the interconnectedness of the global economy, these efforts could pose a challenge to the competitiveness of Chinese tech firms and manufacturers. Matthew Turpin, Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, argued that US-China decoupling will set back China’s emergence as a global high-tech leader. Rebecca Fannin, Founder of Silicon Dragon Ventures, argued that US-China economic decoupling will not set back China’s emergence as a global high-tech leader. This event is made possible by the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jan 14, 2021 • 1h 13min
China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 4
This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the fourth of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The fourth debate took place on December 9, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: Within the next five years, China will use significant military force against a country on its periphery.Under President Xi Jinping, China’s military capabilities have continued to grow. China has stepped up military pressure on Taiwan and conducted frequent large-scale military exercises in the South China Sea. In addition, border tensions with India reached the highest level in decades. A skirmish in June 2020 led to fatalities on both sides. China’s last significant uses of force were in the 1980s along the land border with Vietnam, and in the 1988 clash over Johnson South in the South China Sea.Oriana Skylar Mastro, Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, and Foreign and Defense Policy Fellow at American Enterprise Institute (AEI), argued that China will use military force against a country on its periphery within the next five years. M. Taylor Fravel, Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Security Studies Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), argued that China will not use military force on a country on its periphery within the next five years.This event is made possible by generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jan 13, 2021 • 1h 17min
China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 3
This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the third of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The third debate took place on December 3, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: China will exploit the Covid-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor. As the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the globe, China increased pressure on India, Taiwan, and several Southeast Asian neighbors that have territorial claims in the South China Sea. Chinese officials also lashed out at some foreign governments, which many characterized as “wolf warrior diplomacy.” In addition, China has embarked on a public health-diplomacy campaign, promising personal protective equipment and preferential vaccine access to developing nations and partners of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Yan Xuetong, Dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, argued that China will exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor. Aaron Friedberg, Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University, argued that China will not exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor. This event is made possible by generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jan 12, 2021 • 1h 13min
China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 2
This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the second of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The second debate took place on November 24, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: “One country, two systems” in Hong Kong is dead. When Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, its people were promised that they would continue to enjoy a high degree of autonomy under the “one country, two systems” formula for at least 50 years. However, the Chinese government passed a National Security Law for Hong Kong in June 2020, which granted Beijing unprecedented powers over the city. The passing of this law has led some to question whether “one country, two systems” remains intact. Daniel Russel, Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, argued that “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong is dead. Regina Ip, legislator and member of Hong Kong's Executive Council, argued that “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong is still alive. This event was made possible by generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jan 11, 2021 • 1h 13min
China’s Power: Up for Debate: Debate 1
This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the first of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project’s fifth annual conference, which comprised five live online debates. The first debate took place on November 19 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: The US-China relationship can best be described as a “new Cold War.”Over the last several years, relations between the United States and China have grown increasingly tense. Both the United States and China have expelled journalists and closed consulates amid heightened trade tensions and rancor about responsibility for Covid-19. Some experts believe Beijing is seeking to export its development model and that US-China competition has spread to the ideological realm. Other experts disagree, arguing that the Chinese Communist Party is more focused on defending against threats to its rule at home.Hal Brands, Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), argued that the US-China relationship can best be described as a “new Cold War.” Melvyn Leffler, Edward Stettinius Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Virginia, argued that the US-China relationship cannot be described as a “new Cold War.”This event was made possible by generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.