The US-China Podcast

Basketball is more than a favorite American pastime. It has expanded into a global cultural movement that combines sports, fashion, and lifestyle. Chinese players such as Yao Ming and Jeremy Lin drew attention to untapped basketball talent in Asia and helped bring basketball culture to China. The Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) taps into that energy through elevating Asian university-level basketball competition on the continent. The AUBL, drawing from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States for inspiration, seeks to capture and shape a uniquely Asian basketball fan culture. How is Asia a new frontier for one of America’s biggest sports exports?  AUBL CEO Jay Li joined us in August 2025 to share the future of university-level basketball in Asia and its potential to bridge people across countries.    

China’s GDP is projected to reach $25.83 trillion USD in 2030, as it continues to grow at a faster rate than the United States’. China’s role in the global economy has shifted from “The World’s Factory” to a technological and economic powerhouse. Yet, China’s economy operates differently than Western ones – raising questions of how these divergent economic models will either coexist or clash. How is China protecting and promoting its position in the global economy, and how is the United States dealing with its economic rival?  Ka Zeng joined us in June 2025 to discuss how China acts in global economic institutions amid economic competition with the United States.   

China & the Hill is now on Substack! → This week's edition China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of each week's most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the U.S.-China Podcast.

Critical minerals have become a cornerstone of economic and geopolitical competition, essential to technologies from EVs to advanced defense systems. China’s dominance in the sector reflects decades of strategic planning and global shifts in supply chains. This conversation examines how China attained its current position, the scale of its capacity, and why these minerals are so vital to national security and the energy transition. It also considers how recent global disruptions, including the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, and the U.S.-China trade war, have exposed strategic vulnerabilities in mineral supply chains. In response, the United States and its partners are seeking alternative supply chains through multilateral initiatives and emerging technologies to reduce dependence on China. As the global demand for critical minerals surges, policy choices made now will shape the future of technological leadership and economic resilience.  About the speakers

China & the Hill is now on Substack! → https://ncuscr.substack.com China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of each week's most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the U.S.-China Podcast.  

“China’s New Economic Weapons: Statecraft, Strategy, and the Future of U.S.-China Economic Relations” examines how the Chinese government is increasingly leveraging its economic power for strategic and coercive purposes. In their report, Evan S. Medeiros and Andrew Polk explore the evolution of China’s economic toolkit and how various measures are deployed in service of Beijing’s political objectives. Drawing on recent case studies, the report assesses the drivers behind the development of these new tools, the implications for foreign firms and governments, and the strategic challenges they introduce into an already fragile U.S.-China relationship.  In an interview conducted on July 28, 2025, report co-authors Evan Medeiros and Andrew Polk join Ka Zeng to discuss how China’s economic coercion has changed, what it signals about China’s future global role, and how the United States and its partners should respond.  About the speakers

After the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s economy has struggled to regain momentum. Low domestic demand has impacted multiple industries, while rising youth unemployment is fueling concern among local communities. In response, the Chinese government has introduced a range of policies to strengthen vocational education, aiming to equip young people with practical skills for a growing tech sector. On July 17, 2025, an interview with Eli Friedman and Yun Zhou, moderated by Andrew Liu, examines key features of China’s labor market, analyzes shifting economic trends, and explores the broader impact of socio-cultural attitudes in the workplace. About the speakers

China & the Hill is now on Substack! → https://ncuscr.substack.com China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of each week's most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the U.S.-China Podcast. Read this week's edition.

In 1995, the world turned its attention to Beijing as thousands gathered for the Fourth World Conference on Women – an event that produced the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Nearly three decades later, its legacy continues to inform gender equity movements around the world. What has its impact been within China, particularly in spaces where women are still underrepresented, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics? In an interview conducted on May 29, 2025, Yangyang Cheng and Gina Tam join Abigail Coplin for a conversation that connects past momentum with present realities, exploring the roles women in China have played – and continue to play – in advancing national development.  About this program

China & the Hill is now on Substack! → https://ncuscr.substack.com China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of each week's most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the U.S.-China Podcast. Read this week's edition.