The battle to bring evidence-based policymaking into diplomacy

How the NSTC could change our shape the future

What happened when Mao and Stalin died? What does that tell us about the post-Xi era?

Recorded July 2021. Abe Shinzo is second only to Xi as the most consequential East Asian politician of the 21st century

This was a really good episode.

<p>In 1991, a young Chinese academic published <em>America against America</em>, a look at the contradictions and paradoxes he observed while traveling there. His book was largely forgotten until last year when it went viral for its observations on US cultural decline, becoming a hot topic on Chinese-language forums.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It was no less fascinating for who its author was. Wang Huning is today one of the top leaders in the CCP and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee. Freelance journalist Chang Che (<a href="https://twitter.com/Changxche" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@Changxche</a>) sat down to talk with me about the book and what it tells us about Chinese interpretations of US - and Western - culture.</p><br><p>We also discuss</p><p><br></p><ul><li>The Shanghai lockdown</li><li>Why the teaching of Western classical civilization took off in China...</li><li>...But also makes very little mention of religion</li><li>The CCP take on the US culture wars and rewriting curriculums</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>CHECK OUT THE CHINATALK SUBSTACK! </strong><a href="https://chinatalk.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://chinatalk.substack.com</strong></a></p><p>Support us on Patreon! <a href="https://www.patreon.com/ChinaTalk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/ChinaTalk</a></p><br><p>Chang’s Wang Huning Article: <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/how-a-book-about-americas-history-foretold-chinas-future" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/how-a-book-about-americas-history-foretold-chinas-future</a></p><p>Chang’s western classics education article: <a href="https://supchina.com/2022/01/13/china-looks-to-the-western-classics/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://supchina.com/2022/01/13/china-looks-to-the-western-classics/</a></p><br><p>Outro Music: 锦上添花 FREESTYLE by 盛宇 Damnshine <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRaoDr1Cbbg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRaoDr1Cbbg</a></p><p><br></p> <a target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href="https://open.acast.com/public/patreon/fanSubscribe/1959352">Get bonus content on Patreon</a><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>

<p>Is a nuclear arms race inevitable? China has been building up its nuclear arsenal over the past few years. While it remains significantly smaller than the US and Russia’s, what does this mean for geopolitics against the backdrop of US-China tensions and the Russian invasion of Ukraine?</p><br><p>Tong Zhao (<a href="https://twitter.com/zhaot2005?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@zhaot2005</a>) is a fellow at the Carnegie Center in Beijing who focuses on China’s nuclear program. Co-hosting is Schwarzmann Scholar <a href="https://www.schwarzmanscholars.org/scholars/#raven-witherspoon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Raven Witherspoon</a>.</p><br><p>We also discuss</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Why China sees NATO as the aggressor and Russia as the victim</li><li>Why policy experts’ lack of technical literacy is a big problem</li><li>How China understands nuclear deterrence</li><li>China’s argument for Putin being a rational actor</li><li>Whether there is any hope</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Outro music: 七里香 Remix (original version by Jay Chou) by MACOVASEAS <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVvpgNG0giM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVvpgNG0giM</a></p><br><p>ChinaTalk is on Substack! See, share, subscribe: <a href="https://chinatalk.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://chinatalk.substack.com</a></p><br><p>Also now on Youtube! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXOtILmQEo3pL_1bJfUOFWw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXOtILmQEo3pL_1bJfUOFWw</a></p><br><p>And please consider supporting ChinaTalk on Patreon so we can eat more Haidilao before the world ends: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/ChinaTalk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/ChinaTalk</a></p> <a target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href="https://open.acast.com/public/patreon/fanSubscribe/1959352">Get bonus content on Patreon</a><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>