Sinica Podcast

Afra Wang, a writer living between London and the Bay Area who covers China, tech, and the Industrial Party, discusses The Morning Star of Lingao. She unpacks a crowdsourced alternate-history novel about time travelers bootstrapping industry in Ming Hainan. Conversations touch on China’s engineering-minded Industrial Party, techno-culture, crowdsourced worldbuilding, and how competence became a kind of salvation.

Jia Ruixue, a professor at UC San Diego, and Li Hongbin, an economist at Stanford, dive deep into the complexities of China's Gaokao, the crucial college entrance exam. They discuss how it serves as a formidable gatekeeper for social mobility, the intense pressure families face, and the limited alternatives within the labor market. The guests share personal stories that highlight how the exam system endures despite its flaws, and why reform efforts often fail. They illuminate the intersection of education, inequality, and economic growth in contemporary China.

This week on Sinica, I speak with Daniel Bessner, the Anne H.H. and Kenneth B. Pyle Assistant Professor in American Foreign Policy at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington and co-host of the American Prestige Podcast. If you follow U.S.-China relations even casually, you can’t avoid hearing that we’re in a new Cold War — it’s become a rhetorical reflex in D.C., shaping budgets, foreign policy debates, media narratives, and how ordinary Americans think about China.But what does it actually mean to call something a Cold War? To think clearly about the present, I find it helps to go to the past, not for simple analogies but to understand the intellectual and ideological machinery that produced and now sustains a Cold War mentality. Danny has written widely about the architecture of American power, the rise of the national security state, and the constellation of thinkers he calls Cold War liberals who helped define the ideological landscape of U.S. foreign policy. We explore how Cold War liberalism reshaped American political life, how the U.S. came to see its global dominance as natural and morally necessary, why the question of whose fault the Cold War was remains urgent in an age of renewed great power rivalry, the rise of China and anxiety of American decline, and what it would take to imagine a U.S.-China relationship that doesn’t fall back into old patterns of moral binaries, ideological panic, and militarized competition.6:20 – Danny’s background: from Iraq War politicization to studying defense intellectuals11:00 – Cold War liberalism: the constellation of ideas that shaped U.S. foreign policy16:14 – How these ideas became structurally embedded in security institutions22:02 – The Democratic Party’s destruction of the genuine left in the late 1940s27:53 – Whose fault was the Cold War? Stalin’s sphere of influence logic vs. American universalism31:07 – Are we facing a similar decision with China today?34:23 – The anxiety of loss: how decline anxiety distorts interpretation of China’s rise37:54 – The new Cold War narrative: material realities vs. psychological legacies41:21 – Clearest parallels between the first Cold War and emerging U.S.-China confrontation44:33 – What would a pluralistic order in Asia actually look like?47:42 – Coexistence rather than zero-sum rivalry: what does it mean in practice?50:57 – What genuine restraint requires: accepting limits of American power54:14 – The moral imperative pushback: you can’t have good empire without bad empire56:35 – Imperialist realism: Americans don’t think we’re good, but can’t imagine another worldPaying it forward: The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Responsible Statecraft publication; The Trillion Dollar War Machine by William Hartung and Ben FreemanRecommendations:Danny: Nirvana and the history of Seattle punk/indie music (forthcoming podcast project)Kaiser: Hello China Tech Substack by Poe Zhao (hellotechchina.com)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eric Olander, host of the China Global South Podcast, dives deep into post-capture dynamics following Nicolás Maduro's arrest. He examines how China interprets U.S. actions in Venezuela and its implications for international law and regional security. Olander highlights China's nuanced understanding of Latin America and challenges the idea of fixed 'spheres of influence.' He discusses Beijing's political tactics, the economic vulnerabilities in its Venezuelan dealings, and how military planners are analyzing these shifts. The conversation reveals the complexities of China’s engagement in the global South.

In this engaging discussion, historian Michael Brenes and international relations expert Van Jackson delve into their book, exploring how the U.S.-China rivalry reshapes domestic politics and weakens democracy. They reveal how framing this relationship as a geopolitical threat encourages neo-McCarthyism and detracts crucial resources from social welfare. The duo critiques the bipartisan consensus driving security-heavy policies and advocates for a new 'geopolitics of peace,' emphasizing cooperation over conflict. Their insights challenge conventional narratives and propose a refreshing approach to international relations.

In this discussion, Paul Triolo, a tech policy specialist and Vice President at Albright Stonebridge Group, dives deep into President Trump's recent decision to approve Nvidia H200 sales to vetted Chinese customers. He explores the implications for U.S. chip export controls and the evolving landscape of semiconductor geopolitics. Triolo also critiques the strategic contradictions in current policies and examines how China's chip industry is adapting. The conversation unveils the complexities of technology competition and offers insights into the future of U.S.-China relations.

Mark Sidel, a law professor and leading authority on Chinese NGOs, discusses the dramatic changes in foreign NGO operations in China since the 2016 legislation. He delves into how the political landscape shifted due to global events, leading to stricter oversight and requiring NGOs to navigate complex bureaucratic channels. Sidel categorizes the various responses of NGOs—survivors, hibernators, and more—and explains how the Chinese state channels foreign organizations toward non-advocacy service work, reshaping the domestic nonprofit ecosystem.

In this discussion, Deborah Seligsohn, an expert in climate diplomacy and former U.S. Embassy official in Beijing, shares insights on China's role at COP30. She highlights China's impressive technology leadership contrasted by its reluctance to take the lead in negotiations. Deborah reveals the dynamics of U.S.-China relations at the conference and the significance of the real-time air quality monitor installed by the U.S. Embassy. She also sheds light on how Brazil's inclusive approach and rapid agenda creation made COP30 a unique experience.

Zhong Na, a novelist and essayist, delves into the harrowing Silicon Valley murder case that sparked a national conversation in China. She reveals how this tragedy holds up a mirror to the cracks in China's meritocratic ideals and the shifting gender dynamics among immigrants. Zhong contrasts the U.S. and Chinese media coverage, reflects on her personal connection to the case, and discusses the diminishing allure of the American Dream. With insights on social class, parental pressures, and online gender discourse, she crafts a compelling narrative of contemporary Chinese experiences.

Finbarr Bermingham, Brussels correspondent for the South China Morning Post, delves into the intriguing Nexperia semiconductor dispute, illustrating the clash between U.S. pressures and European strategies. He reveals how the Netherlands invoked a Cold War law to seize control of Nexperia amid fears of technology transfer to China. The discussion also touches on China's retaliatory export controls and the complexities of European policies, highlighting how the saga could reshape EU investment strategies and the dynamics between China and Europe.