China in the World

In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Dr. Ian Chong, non-resident scholar at Carnegie China and Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore. The two experts discuss President Biden and Xi's upcoming meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco. The two also discuss the current state of U.S.-China relations and how the two powers are viewed from Southeast Asia as well as Dr. Chong's recent article published by Carnegie China, "Amid Contending Narratives, A Read on U.S. and PRC Messaging in Singapore." https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/11/08/amid-contending-narratives-read-on-u.s.-and-prc-messaging-in-singapore-pub-90942Dr. Chong is a nonresident scholar at Carnegie China, where he examines U.S.-China dynamics in Southeast Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific. Chong is also an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. He received his PhD from Princeton University in 2008 and previously taught at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. His research covers the intersection of international and domestic politics, with a focus on the externalities of major power competition, nationalism, regional order, security, contentious politics, and state formation. He also works on U.S.-China relations, security and order in Northeast and Southeast Asia, cross-strait relations, and Taiwan’s politics.

The podcast explores the evolution of US-China trade relations over the past 10 years, covering key events such as the trade war, the phase 1 trade deal, and the current standoff in negotiations. It discusses the significance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Pact (RCEP) in US-China trade relations. The podcast also reveals the impact of China's export restraints and resource hoarding on global market prices and international trade. It explores concerns about the trade deficit between the US and China, emphasizing the need for a multilateral approach to trade. The significance of a trade deal between the two countries is explored, along with the importance of completing it and maintaining US engagement in Asia.

Dr. Huong Le Thu, a non-resident fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses Vietnam's multialignment strategy, the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, China-Vietnam relations, the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, and Southeast Asia's response to China's initiatives.

Amid renewed tensions in the South China Sea, Paul Haenle speaks with Dr. Isaac Kardon, Senior Fellow in the Carnegie Endowment’s Asia Program, about his new book, China’s Law of the Sea: The New Rules of Maritime Order. The two discuss Kardon’s book, China’s approach to international maritime law, the China-Philippines maritime standoff, and more.Isaac Kardon is a Senior Fellow in the Carnegie Endowment’s Asia Program. Isaac was formerly assistant professor at the U.S. Naval War College, China Maritime Studies Institute, where he researched China’s maritime affairs, and taught naval officers and national security professionals about PRC foreign and security policy. Isaac’s scholarship has centered on China’s development of maritime power, with research on China’s maritime disputes and law of the sea issues, global port development, and PLA overseas basing. His new book, China’s Law of the Sea: The New Rules of Maritime Order (Yale, 2023), can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Chinas-Law-Sea-Rules-Maritime/dp/0300256477.

In June, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his first visit to China since the Biden administration entered office, and in July, Treasury Secretary Yellen and Climate Envoy John Kerry travelled to China to engage in discussions with Chinese officials. As the United States and China begin to restart high-level dialogues, there continue to be many unaddressed issues in the relationship, from trade to technology. Will the two sides be able to reopen military dialogues? Can they manage tensions over Taiwan? How will the bilateral relationship evolve ahead of the 2024 U.S. election? On this live Twitter Spaces event, Paul Haenle discusses all these issues and more with Evan Medeiros, Dennis Wilder, Amanda Hsiao, and Chong Ja Ian. 

For the 200th episode of the China in the World podcast, Carnegie China looks back on interviews conducted over the last 10 years, highlighting discussions with scholars and experts from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Over the last 10 years, Paul Haenle has hosted dozens of conversations, conducted both online and at Carnegie's office in Beijing, with Carnegie scholars from across Carnegie’s six global centers, covering topics ranging from the U.S.-China relations and China-Russia relations to China-India relations and China-EU relations.

After more than one year of conflict, the Russia-Ukraine War continues to drag on. Last week, China’s envoy, Li Hui, traveled throughout European capitals to discuss the potential for a “political settlement” of the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile, Kiev has launched a counteroffensive in five areas along the front in Donetsk. In the background, China-Russia diplomatic, economic, and military relations remain robust. How is the Ukraine war impacting China-Russia relations? Are there limits to the China-Russia partnership? Will relations between Moscow and Beijing grow more or less asymmetrical in the years to come?This China in the World podcast was recorded as a live Twitter Spaces discussion featuring Alexander Gabuev, Amy Chew, and Paul Haenle on the state of the Ukraine War and China-Russia relations.

Although traditionally focused on economic engagement in the Middle East, in recent months China has indicated a greater willingness to engage in regional conflict mediation. The Saudi-Iran normalization agreement, brokered in Beijing, speaks to China’s growing involvement in regional political and security issues. Chinese officials have also expressed interest in de-escalating the Israel-Palestine crisis and renewing the Iran nuclear deal. Meanwhile, the United States appears to be shifting its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Europe. Will China replace the United States as the leading outside power in the Middle East? What role can Beijing play in meditating regional disputes? How are Middle Eastern states responding to rising U.S.-China rivalry?In this live recording of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle moderated a discussion with Maha Yahya, Yu Jie, and Benjamin Ho on the key issues in China-Middle East relations. This panel is the fifth of the Carnegie Global Dialogue Series 2022-2023 and is also available to be watch at CarnegieChina.org. https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/06/08/china-s-rising-influence-in-middle-east-event-8107

In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with William C. Kirby, T.M. Chang Professor of China Studies and Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard University. The discussion highlights Dr. Kirby’s new book, Empires of Ideas: Creating the Modern University from Germany to America to China (Harvard University Press: 2022). Kirby’s book chronicles two revolutions in higher education over the last two centuries–the birth of the research university and its integration with the liberal education model–drawing illuminating comparisons between notable universities in the United States, Germany, and China. Haenle and Kirby also discuss current events such as the Biden administration’s economic policy toward China, articulated in recent speeches by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, as well as rising U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan.William C. Kirby is the T. M. Chang Professor of China Studies at Harvard University and Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He is a Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor. He serves as Chairman of the Harvard China Fund, the University's academic venture fund for China, and Faculty Chair of the Harvard Center Shanghai, Harvard's first University-wide center located outside the United States. A historian of modern China, Kirby's work examines contemporary China's business, economic, and political development in an international context. He writes and teaches on the growth of modern companies in China (Chinese and foreign; state-owned and private); Chinese corporate law and company structure; business relations across Greater China (PRC, Taiwan, Hong Kong); and China's relations with the United States and Europe.Empire of Ideas can be purchased here: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674737716

U.S.-China relations and East Asian affairs have evolved significantly over the last two decades. Nonetheless, many of the same questions continue to challenge policymakers in Washington. How should the United States grapple with a rising China? How should it engage militarily and economically in Asia? How does China factor into the United States’ Asia policy?In a new book, Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama, National Security Council experts from the Bush administration comment on declassified transition memoranda that provide a firsthand look at the foreign policy the Bush administration turned over to President Obama. Join Paul Haenle as he sits down with three other members of the Bush administration’s National Security Council—Michael J. Green, Meghan O'Sullivan, and Faryar Shirzad—to discuss the evolution of U.S. policy toward China and East Asia.