ChinaPower

This special episode of the ChinaPower Podcast is the first of two featuring the audio from the China Power Project’s seventh annual conference. The first debate took place on November 17, 2022 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: "China’s 'new normal' of increased military activities in the Taiwan Strait is likely to lead to a US-China or China-Taiwan crisis/conflict in the next year or two."

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Meia Nouwens and Veerle Nouwens join us to unpack the relationship between European countries and China. They begin with an overview of Europe’s relations with China, caveating that the relationship at large is similar, but different countries vary in their approaches to China. Meia explains that European views of China are shifting from seeing it as a potential partner to more of a competitor or systemic rival. Veerle also emphasizes that while European countries and Taiwan have maintained trade relations for years, China has grown more critical of these dialogues, and it is increasingly important for Europe to have clear and consistent messaging about its views on Taiwan. Lastly, they identify important factors that may impact the future of China-Europe relations, including U.S. policy towards China and China’s behavior itself.Meia Nouwens is a senior fellow for Chinese security and defense policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). She is interested in cross-service defense analysis, China’s defense industry and innovation, and China’s regional strategy and foreign affairs. Veerle Nouwens is a senior research fellow at the International Security Studies Department of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). She focuses on China’s foreign policy, cross-Strait relations, maritime security, and the Asia-Pacific region.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Mara Karlin, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities at the Department of Defense (DoD) joins us to discuss the latest National Defense Strategy (NDS). Dr. Karlin explains the nature of the new NDS, talking through its renewed focus on China. She states that the DoD views China as “the pacing challenge” for the U.S. military and addresses the range of ways the U.S. military is developing in light of China’s increasing power. Lastly, Dr. Karlin addresses PLA behavior around Taiwan and explains how individual DoD priorities will serve to address challenges presented by China down the road. Dr. Mara E. Karlin is Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities at the Department of Defense. Dr. Karlin is responsible for advising the Secretary of Defense and other senior defense leaders on national security and defense strategy. Dr. Karlin ensures that the Department of Defense (DoD)’s program and budget decisions support and advance senior DoD leaders’ strategic direction, especially as articulated in defense planning guidance.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Chungyan Chow joins us to discuss China’s recent 20th Party Congress. Mr. Chow explains the procedures of the Party Congress, explaining how reporters gain access and how major speeches are choreographed. He also analyzes Xi Jinping’s speech, arguing that the relative brevity of the speech, when compared to his 19th Party Congress speech, demonstrates Xi’s power. Lastly, Mr. Chow discusses the implications of China’s new leadership on U.S.-China relations, as U.S. policymakers will have to forge relationships and negotiate with new faces in China’s foreign policy establishment. Chungyan Chow is Executive Editor at the South China Morning Post. Mr. Chow joined the South China Morning Post in 1998. Over the past two decades he has risen through the ranks to the role of Executive Editor via the City, China and Business desks. He oversees the newsroom’s day-to-day operations, managing the website and print publications, and supervising the Post's China and U.S. coverage. 

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Emily Benson and Gerard DiPippo join us to discuss the recent U.S. export technology controls targeting China’s access to chips. Ms. Benson and Mr. DiPippo explain these recent export control regulations and note that they will impact large portions of China’s technology industry. They also discuss the important role that U.S.-based semiconductors play in the U.S.-China relationship and explain that they have become an essential tool in U.S. economic policy targeting China. Lastly, Ms. Benson and Mr. DiPippo comment on the economic and political impact these export controls will have not only in China, but also on semiconductor firms around the world that rely on China as a key export market. Emily Benson is a senior fellow with the Scholl Chair in International Business at CSIS, joining CSIS after working in transatlantic affairs at the Bertelsmann Foundation. Ms. Benson has several years of experience working in international law, focusing on export controls and sanctions. Gerard DiPippo is a senior fellow in the Economics Program at CSIS, joining CSIS after 11 years in the U.S. intelligence community. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. DiPippo was a deputy national intelligence officer for economic issues at the National Intelligence Council, where he led the IC's economic analysis of East Asia.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Susan Shirk joins us to discuss trends in China’s politics and how the U.S. can best manage its China policies. Dr. Shirk explains the recent history of China’s politics and how the political climate has shifted since the presidency of Hu Jintao. She also discusses the role of Xi Jinping within China’s government, arguing that Xi’s ongoing anti-corruption campaigns are meant not only to dispel corruption, but also to enforce discipline and centralize power around his leadership. Lastly, Dr. Shirk comments on the state of U.S. policy making towards China, presenting steps that could be taken in both Beijing and Washington to create more substantive and effective relations between both countries.Dr. Susan Shirk is a Research Professor and Chair of the 21st Century China Center at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. From 1997-2000, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, with responsibility for China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mongolia. Her most recent book, Overreach, was released October 7.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Joel Wuthnow joins us to discuss emerging future trends in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Dr. Wuthnow explains the key patterns of the structure of the PLA and how it has changed under Xi in the context of increasing emphasis on military modernization. He also discusses the potential impact of the 20th Party Congress on the PLA modernization process, believing that the Party Congress is unlikely to introduce dramatic changes, but we should pay attention to the new composition of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Lastly, Dr. Wuthnow comments on the implications of the key trends within the PLA, arguing the leadership reshuffle could affect the PLA’s assessment of its readiness and capabilities and those of its adversaries.  Dr. Joel Wuthnow is a senior research fellow in the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs within the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the U.S. National Defense University and an adjunct professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His research areas include Chinese foreign and security policy, Chinese military affairs, U.S.-China relations, and strategic developments in East Asia.  

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Lingling Wei joins us to discuss China’s upcoming 20th Party Congress that is scheduled to take place in October. Wei explains that during Party Congress meetings new leadership and constitutional changes are formally approved. Wei presents candidates likely to be promoted to senior positions during the upcoming Party Congress and highlights how these potential personnel shifts may impact China’s future economic and foreign policies. She argues that despite President Xi's great power, he is willing to course correct when needed, pointing to how some of Xi’s economic policies have been dialed back during China’s recent economic downturn. Lastly, Wei concludes that the results of the Party Congress are important in shaping the future of U.S.-China relations.Lingling Wei is the chief China correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. She has been with the Journal since 2008 and a China correspondent since 2011. As U.S.-China tensions grew, she was expelled from China in 2020, along with other American journalists. In 2020, she was named as a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting. Wei is also a co-author of Superpower Showdown: How the Battle Between Trump and Xi Threatens a New Cold War.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Jessica Chen Weiss joins us to discuss the state of U.S.-China relations and her recent lengthy article in Foreign Affairs. Dr. Weiss evaluates the Biden Administration’s approach to China, from the nature of the growing U.S.-China competition to how both sides could approach tensions over Taiwan. She argues that both China and the United States must demonstrate “reciprocal restraint” in order to reduce the chance of conflict and facilitate substantive progress in their relationship. She also offers her perspective on the upcoming Party Congress, evaluating how Chinese President Xi Jinping may behave as he enters his presumed third term. Lastly, Dr. Chen Weiss gives recommendations on how U.S. policy can adapt in order to avoid a “catastrophic” conflict with China.Dr. Jessica Chen Weiss is the Michael J. Zak Professor for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at Cornell University. From August 2021 to July 2022, she served as a senior advisor to the Secretary’s policy planning staff at the U.S. Department of State. Her research focuses on Chinese politics and foreign relations with an emphasis on nationalism and public opinion, specifically on the connection between domestic politics and international relations. Dr. Weiss recently published a piece in Foreign Affairs, titled “The China Trap: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Perilous Logic of Zero-Sum Competition.”

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Wendy Wu joins us to discuss Chinese food security. Ms. Wu argues that Chinese food security is a matter of national security for the Chinese government and that assuring food security is critical for China’s stability. She explains the state of domestic Chinese food production and evaluates Chinese efforts to provide food access for its 1.4 billion people. She also discusses how Chinese food security is closely tied to its diplomatic relations, arguing that China’s strained relations with foreign countries, including the United States, presents major challenges to its food security going forward.  Wendy Wu is Political Economy Editor of the South China Morning Post. Ms. Wu joined the Post in 2015, covering foreign affairs and economy. She is currently based in Beijing.