ChinaPower

This episode explores the rapid modernization of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and its growing naval capacity. Our guest, Dr. Andrew Erickson, explains the motivations behind this effort as well as the most recent capabilities of the PLAN’s expanding naval fleet. He also discusses the synergies between commercial and military shipbuilding in China and revisits the current state of China’s aircraft carrier program, which he discussed with ChinaPower several years ago. Dr. Andrew Erickson is a Professor of Strategy in the U.S. Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute. He is the author of a study published in 2017 titled Chinese Naval Shipbuilding: An Ambitious and Uncertain Course. Since 2008, Dr. Erickson has been an Associate in Research at Harvard University’s John King Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. He is also a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

This episode explores the current state of cross-Strait relations between Taiwan and mainland China, as well as the Trump administration’s approach to this complex relationship. Our guest, Dr. Richard Bush, explains how and why the relationship has deteriorated since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, as well as how her approach to relations with Beijing differs from that of former President Ma Ying-jeou. Dr. Bush also examines the unique role that the US plays in the present-day relationship, in light of its ongoing trade war with Beijing yet lack of official diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Dr. Richard Bush is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and holds The Michael H. Armacost Chair and Chen-Fu and Cecilia Yen Koo Chair in Taiwan Studies in the Center for East Asia Policy Studies (CEAP). He also holds a joint appointment as a senior fellow in the Brookings John L. Thornton China Center. Dr. Bush is the author of a number of books and articles on China’s relations with its neighbors, particularly Taiwan.

This episode explores China’s approach to the Central and Eastern Europe region through its 16+1 mechanism, which brings together eleven EU member states, five Balkan countries, and China. Our guest, Justyna Szczudlik, explains China’s political and economic goals in the region and describes the major outcomes of the recent 16+1 Summit in Bulgaria. She also examines the appeal of the Belt and Road Initiative to different European countries and analyzes the potential effects of China’s “one size fits all” approach to the various 16+1 participants.   Justyna Szczudlik is Head of the Asia-Pacific Programme and a China analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM). She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Warsaw, MA in Chinese Studies from the University of Warsaw, and MA in Political Science from the University of Wroclaw. Dr. Szczudlik’s research focuses on China’s foreign policy, especially China-Central and Eastern Europe relations including China-Poland relations.

This episode explores the latest developments in China’s relationship with India, especially how the relationship has evolved since the Doklam border standoff in 2017. Our guest, Dr. Jagannath Panda, explains the lessons each side learned from the Doklam incident and evaluates Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s China policy. He also analyzes how India has attempted to avoid conflict with China, even as contentious issues persist such as border disputes, the Dalai Lama, and China’s expanding presence in the Indian Ocean.   Dr. Jagannath Panda is a Research Fellow and Coordinator of the East Asia Centre at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi, India. He has written extensively on East and South Asia as well as India-China relations. Dr. Panda has held fellowships at the Ministry of Unification (Republic of Korea), the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Shanghai Institute of International Studies.

This episode explores the evolving relationship between China and Africa, especially the 53 African states that participate in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Our guest, Professor Chris Alden, joins us to discuss the outcomes of the most recent FOCAC Summit, as well as China’s role as an infrastructure financier on the continent. He also examines the growing importance of security issues in Sino-African relations and envisions how the China-Africa relationship may develop in the future. Professor Chris Alden is a Professor in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and is a Senior Research Fellow with the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). He has written numerous books and articles in internationally recognized journals, and most recently co-edited China and Africa – Building Peace and Security Cooperation on the Continent. Prof. Alden has held fellowships at institutions including Cambridge University, the Institute of Social Science, and the University of Tokyo.

This episode explores the relationship between China and the European Union’s 28 member states, as well as the impact of the US on China-EU ties. Our guest, Ms. Theresa Fallon, analyzes China’s increased interest in the region amid tension with the US and assesses the efficacy of initiatives such as the 16+1 Summit and Belt and Road Initiative in strengthening China-EU ties. She also predicts where the relationship is headed and how the US should view a closer China-EU relationship.   Ms. Theresa Fallon is the founder and director of the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies (CREAS) in Brussels. She is concurrently a member of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Ms. Fallon’s current research is focused on EU-Asia relations, Sino-Russian relations, maritime security, global governance, and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. She has testified numerous times to the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Security and Defense, and has been featured in international media including the BBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.

This episode explores China’s standing in BRICS, a group of five countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) with fast-developing economies and growing regional influence. Our guest, Duncan Innes-Ker, explains the major outcomes of the 10 BRICS summit, describes the group’s increasing economic engagement with Africa, and analyzes China’s position as the largest economy in BRICS. He also considers how the BRICS countries may develop over time, both individually and as a group.   Duncan Innes-Ker heads a team of analysts covering Asia in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Country Analysis division in Hong Kong. He has helped produce customized research and analysis on many topics, and has shared his perspectives on Asia with senior corporate executives, academics, and diplomatic officials. Duncan is also a frequent commentator for news services such as the BBC, CNN, and CNBC.

This episode explores the ins and outs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) nearly two decades after its founding, as well as China’s evolving role within the organization. Our guest, Dr. Alexander Cooley, uncovers the current challenges and opportunities for the organization as the SCO’s membership and China’s foreign policy aspirations expand. Dr. Cooley analyzes potential future areas of contention and cooperation between China and other SCO member states. Dr. Alexander Cooley is Director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University and a professor of political science at Barnard College. He has written extensively on Eurasian and Central Asian politics, including opinion pieces for The New York Times and Foreign Affairs. Additionally, Dr. Cooley serves on multiple international advisory boards and policy committees.

This episode explores the latest public diplomacy efforts that Beijing has carried out in the East Asia and Pacific region to boost favorable views toward China. Through the lens of AidData’s ground-breaking report, Ties That Bind: Quantifying China’s public diplomacy and its “good neighbor” effect, our guest Samantha Custer analyzes the methods, objectives, and successes of China’s regional public diplomacy and political influence activities. Custer also delves into the implications of China’s state-sponsored strategies for the greater region and the field of public diplomacy.   Samantha Custer is the Director of Policy Analysis at AidData, a research lab at the College of William and Mary that produced the Ties That Bind report, in partnership with the CSIS China Power Project and Asia Society Policy Institute. She previously co-authored World Bank papers on open data and citizen feedback with the Open Development Technology Alliance and assisted former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright teach a foreign policy course. Additionally, Ms. Custer has advised multilingual education policy with SIL International and coordinated the advocacy efforts of the Asia Multilingual Education Working Group for UNESCO.

This episode explores China’s intensified activities and interests in the South China Sea in recent years. Our guest, Bill Hayton, unpacks the history of the various parties’ sovereignty claims, and discusses how China’s actions in the South China Sea have led to greater regional tensions and increased international criticism, including from the United States. He explains China’s militarization and coercive tactics in the South China Sea, assesses the legitimacy of China’s claims, and discusses the current as well as future role of China in the region.   Bill Hayton is an associate fellow with the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, and has written extensively on Southeast Asian issues and the South China Sea. He has also worked for BBC News for 20 years and is currently a reporter and producer with BBC World News TV in London.