China 21

As President Trump’s team continues trade negotiations in Beijing this week, we bring you this recently recorded conversation between GPS professors Natalia Ramondo, Barry Naughton and Victor Shih. They discuss the current threat of tariffs by both countries, and implications on multilateral trade norms, the effectiveness of Chinese industrial policy and American innovation strategy. Natalia Ramondo is an associate professor of economics at GPS, Barry Naughton is the Sokwanlok professor of international affairs, and Victor Shih is the Ho Miu Lam professor of political science. This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Editor: Samuel Tsoi Production Support: Mike Fausner, Lara Sievert Music: Dave Liang/Shanghai Restoration Project

Ian Johnson joins Richard Madsen to discusses how today’s Chinese Communist Party is striving for a national set of values, and how ordinary Chinese are seeking for deeper meaning in their lives, and the lessons for the rest of the world in this global populist moment. Ian Johnson is a Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter in China for over 20 years, for various publications, including The New York Times and The New York Review of Books, and is author of a new book: The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao. Dr. Richard Madsen is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology at UC San Diego. He is the author or co-author of 12 books, including the landmark village study “Chen Village under Mao and Deng” and Democracy’s Dharma: Religious Renaissance and Political Development in Taiwan.” He is currently working on a book about happiness in China, which he describes as an exploration on “searching for a good life in China in an age of anxiety.” This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Host & Editor: Samuel Ts

Historian Paul Pickowicz interviews acclaimed author John Pomfret about patterns in the long history of US-China relations, and how it informs the controversies in the current moment of Sino-American relations ranging from the impact of Chinese students on US universities, Xi Jinping’s end to presidential term limits, and trade and business relations. Dr. Paul Pickowicz is one of the country’s leading historians of modern China with 15 books engaging across disciplines that investigated the impact of the Cultural Revolution on Chinese peasants, the history of Chinese cinema, Cold War propaganda strategies and Chinese soft-power initiatives. John Pomfret is an award-winning journalist with The Washington Post and is currently a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Beijing. He is the author of the acclaimed book, Chinese Lessons, and has won several awards for his coverage of Asia, including the Osborne Elliot Prize. He holds degrees from Stanford University and was one of the first American students to study at Nanjing

Tai Ming Cheung, Mikko Huotari and Barry Naughton unpack the China factor in the case of the U.S. government’s protection of Qualcomm, and discuss what kind of tools and policies will emerge as the rules of engagement in international investment and technological competition continue to become murky and fraught with geopolitical tensions. Dr. Barry Naughton is one of America’s most highly respected economists working on China. He holds the Sokwanlok Chair on Chinese International Affairs at UC San Diego School of Global Policy & Strategy (or GPS) Dr. Tai Ming Cheung is an Associate Professor at GPS, and the director of Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, based here at UC San Diego. He leads IGCC’s Minerva project on The Evolving Relationship Between Technology and National Security in China. Mikko Huotari is Head of the Geoeconomics and International Security Program at the Mercator Institute of China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, Europe's largest independent think tank dedicated to research on co

21st Century China Center faculty reflect on Sunday's announcement by Chinese Communist Party to end term limits on the presidency, clearing the way for President Xi Jinping to stay in power indefinitely. Even in the context of the party's authoritarian rule, it is a significant break from rules established in the 1980s to prevent the country from returning to the days when Mao Zedong dominated every sphere of the political system. Susan Shirk is the chair of the 21st Century China Center, Barry Naughton is the Sokwanlok professor of international affairs, and Victor Shih is the Ho Miu Lam professor of political science, and Lei Guang is the Director of the 21st Century China Center. This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Host & Editor: Samuel Tsoi Production Support: Mike Fausner, Lei Guang Music: Dave Liang/Shanghai Restoration Project

Professors Fukuyama and Naughton trace the origins of the Chinese state, its historic economic modernization, and how the current Xi Jinping era is challenging assumptions and theories about political order and decay. They also discussed the relationship between political freedom and technological innovation and roles of China and US in global leadership. Dr. Francis Fukuyama is professor of political science at Stanford University, where he directs the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Dr. Fukuyama is the author of the landmark book on international relations, The End of History and the Last Man. His recent work is equally grand in scale and influence, titled Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy. Dr. Fukuyama delivered the 2018 Sokwanlok Distinguished Lecture on China at UC San Diego, in which he presented his latest research on China's infrastructure investment as a

UCLA sociologist Ching Kwan Lee discusses her new book that is the result of over six years of ethnographic research in Zambia on Chinese capital and labor. In The Specter of Global China: Politics, Labor, and Foreign Investment in Africa, Prof. Lee analyzes the peculiarity of outbound Chinese state capital by comparing it with global private capital in copper and construction in Zambia. Refuting the rhetorical narratives of “Chinese colonialism” and “south-south cooperation,” Prof. Lee chronicles the multi-faceted struggles that confront and differentiate these two varieties of capital, and discuss their uneven potentials for post-colonial African development, China's Belt-and-Road Initiative, and telling a more nuanced story about Global China. The book is available via Chicago University Press in December 2017: http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo22657847.html This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Host & Editor: Samuel Tsoi Production Support: Mike Fausner, Anthony King, Lei Guan

Dr. Somkiat Tangkitvanich, President of the Thailand Development Research Institute, discusses current Thailand-China relations and the impact of Chinese investment and infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia. Dr. Tangkitvanich is a leading Thai expert in the areas of trade and investment policies, innovation policy, education policy and information, communication and technology policy. He is an Eisenhower Fellow and a member of the Trilateral Commission. He obtained his Ph.D. in computer science from Tokyo Institute of Technology. Dr. Tangkitvanich is a weekly commentator for Thai PBS, Thailand’s public television. He has been instrumental in drafting many laws in Thailand. Under his leadership, the team of thinkers and researchers at Thailand Development and Research Institute was nominated “Person of the Year” in 2012 by the Bangkok Post, for demonstrating that rational debate is the key to healing a fractured nation and advancing development. Dr. Tangkitvanich was a Pacific Leadership Fellow at the Cent

Does the Trump Administration have a grand strategy in Asia? How does an "American First" posture square with the idea of a free and open Asia Pacific? Stephan Haggard interviews Michael Green on the president's visit to Asia and how it reflects the recurring themes in the long arc of American strategic thinking. Dr. Michael Green is senior vice president for Asia and Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) He served on the National Security Council (NSC) from 2001 through 2005, first as director for Asian affairs with responsibility for Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, and then as special assistant to the president for national security affairs and senior director for Asia, with responsibility for East Asia and South Asia. Dr. Green has authored numerous books and articles on East Asian security, including most recently, By More Than Providence: Grand Strategy and American Power in the Asia Pacific Since 1783. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees f

Scholars Jennifer Pan & Yiqing Xu discussed their paper on “China’s Ideological Spectrum,” which has generated widespread acclaim and discussion. They analyzed data from an opinion survey of more than half a million Chinese citizens, and find that public preferences in ideology are not simply split along a pro-regime or anti-regime divide in authoritarian contexts. The paper can be accessed via: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2593377 Jennifer Pan is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Stanford University. Her research examines the strategies authoritarian regimes employ to perpetuate their rule, including censorship, redistribution, and responsiveness, using large-scale data from traditional and digital media as well as experiments on media platforms. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University’s Department of Government. Yiqing Xu is an Assistant Professor at Department of Political Science here at UC San Diego, and a faculty member of the 21st Century China Center. He works on political methodology

Caixin's Managing Editor Wang Shuo 王烁 describes the challenge for investigative journalists in China in the context of a changing media landscape and state control of information. He also discusses the stories his team has worked on, from high-speed rail accidents, to the one-child policy, to shadow banking - and Caixin's growing international audience. Wang Shuo 王烁 is the co-founder and managing editor of Caixin, a leading Chinese business and finance media group. Wang Shuo provides high-quality news reports and leads an award-winning editorial team, which was honored by Stanford University with the Shorenstein Journalism Award. Wang Shuo is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. He received degrees in Philosophy from Renmin University and Peking University, an Executive MBA from Fordham and a Master’s in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins. This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Studio Ten300 Host: Samuel Tsoi Editors: Mike Fausner, Anthony King Production Support: Lei Guang, Susan Shirk

Director Evans Chan (陳耀成) talks about his latest documentary “Raise the Umbrellas,” the politicization of Hong Kong identity and media, and the city's democratic future and implications for Greater China. (Trailer: https://youtu.be/Q2kxtQW-nAA) Chan is an independent filmmaker, who has been described by critics as one who "has made a singular contribution to Hong Kong cinema and at the same time a major contribution to the whole spectrum of contemporary film-making." He draws on everything from literature and political studies to journalism and social-activist campaigns for his subjects – and on everything from film history to performance art for his images. This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Studio Ten300 Host: Samuel Tsoi Editors: Mike Fausner, Anthony King Production Support: Lei Guang, Susan Shirk, Amy Robinson, Sarah Pfledderer, Michelle Fredricks Music: Dave Liang/Shanghai Restoration Project Photo Credit: NYHK Productions, Ltd.

Gordon Hanson and Charlene Barshefsky discuss China’s commitments and market reforms since joining the WTO and the path ahead in the trade relationship between the world’s two biggest economies. They explore the policy and enforcement tools the US has to confront China over the imbalance and lack of reciprocity, and the immediate political pressure on US policy makers to address the loss of jobs due to trade. Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky served as the US Trade Representative from 1997 to 2001, she was responsible for the negotiation of hundreds of complex market access, regulatory and investment agreements with virtually every major country in the world. She is best known internationally as the architect and chief negotiator of China's historic World Trade Organization Agreement. She is currently WilmerHale's Senior International Partner, where she continues her legal career in international litigation, commercial negotiations, investment and regulatory advice, and dispute resolution. Dr. Gordon Hanson is t

China is now the biggest auto market, including electric vehicles. Michael Dunne discusses the government's role in guiding the car industry, competition and cross-border investment among Western and Chinese firms, and implication for clean energy, infrastructure and job-creation in both countries. Dunne is the author of the book titled “American Wheels, Chinese Roads” and is a commentator on major outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Forbes. He’s originally from the Motor City and a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received an MBA and a Masters in Chinese History. This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Studio Ten300 Host: Samuel Tsoi Editors: Mike Fausner, Anthony King Production Support: Lei Guang, Susan Shirk, Amy Robinson, Sarah Pfledderer, Michelle Fredricks Music: Dave Liang/Shanghai Restoration Project Episode photo credit: Reuters

Dr. Karl Gerth interviews Dr. Tom Mullaney about his journey in building a digital humanities community for Asian studies and how a new set of analytic tools are disrupting and transforming the practice of teaching history and understanding various phenomena in China. Karl Gerth is a professor of Modern Chinese history and holds the Hwei-Chih and Julia Hsiu Endowed Chair here at UC San Diego, he is writes on the history and contemporary implications of Chinese consumerism. His latest book is titled As China Goes, So Goes the World: How Chinese Consumers are Transforming Everything. It explores the wide-ranging ramifications and future implications of China’s shift toward a market economy over the past thirty years. Tom Mullaney is a historian of China and of technology from Stanford University, and is currently working on a fascinating project examining Chinese typewriters and computers, with two books in the works through MIT Press. Tom’s collection of Chinese typewriters is now a museum exhibition called “R

Two China policy veterans: Prof. Susan Shirk and Amb. Winston Lord are members of a high-level bipartisan task force that launched a report on US Policy Toward China, with detailed policy recommendations for the Trump administration. They offer an overview of the comprehensive list of issues covered in the report, and discuss the priorities that 45th President must address in his first year, such as the North Korean nuclear threat, climate change leadership, Asia Pacific alliances, and trade and civil society reciprocity. The task force comprises a group of 20 prominent China specialists that include policymakers, scholars, and trade representatives, many of whom served under both political parties and every U.S. president since Nixon. Watch the panel discussion with task force co-chair Orville Schell of Asia Society and read the full report on china.ucsd.edu This episode was recorded at UC San Diego Studio Ten300 Host: Samuel Tsoi Editors: Mike Fausner, Anthony King Production Support: Lei Guang, Susan Shir

Intercultural comedian Jesse Appell, founder of US-China Comedy Center in Beijing, shares his fun and educational journey of learning what makes Chinese people laugh, and bridging cultural gaps with humor. www.ChinaFocus.us hosted Jesse's performance at UC San Diego on Feb. 6 as part of his “Great LOL of China” North American tour. Jesse Appell (艾杰西) is a Fulbright Scholar alumni whose research focuses on Chinese humor and performance. He is a disciple of master Xiangsheng performer Ding Guangquan, and regularly perform Xiangsheng (a form of Chinese comedy also known as crosstalk), bilingual improv comedy, and Chinese stand-up live and on TV. Jesse creates comedic online videos intended for the Chinese audience; one of these, “Laowai Style,” gathered 2 million hits across several media platforms. Jesse’s performances, writing, and commentary on Chinese comedy, media, and culture have been seen and heard on CBS, TEDx, PBS, NPR and PRI, as well as Chinese media such as CCTV, BTV, and CRI. Jesse founded www.laug

Dr. Julio Friedmann unpacks the environmental and energy challenges in China - the world’s largest energy user, largest emitter, largest market and largest cleantech enterprise. Interview is followed by excerpt from conversation with Dr. David Victor Dr. Friedmann is the senior advisor for energy innovation at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He has extensive experience at the intersection of clean energy, public policy and global cooperation. Previously, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Clean Coal at U.S. Department of Energy. He also advised the US-China Clean Energy Research Center. Following ratification of Paris, they have undertaken an ambitious set of commitments to dramatically change their energy supply, infrastructure, use and efficiency. These large efforts and commitments are backed by substantial actions and investments. At the same time, they are undercut by retractions, shifting targets, a government reform agenda and complex geopolitical forces — converting these inve

Dr. Melanie Hart reviews America's foreign policy towards China in the last eight years, and looks ahead to opportunities and challenges in US-China Relations in light of constructive milestones and the US presidential elections. Dr. Hart is currently a Senior Fellow and Director of China Policy at the Center for American Progress, a think-tank based in Washington D.C. She focuses on U.S. foreign policy toward China and works to identify new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, particularly on energy, climate change, and cross-border investment. Her research also covers China’s political system, market regulatory reforms, and how China’s domestic and foreign policy developments affect the United States. In this podcast, she describes the recent progress from the U.S.-China Rising Scholar Strategic Dialogue, hosted by the Center for American Progress. The report "Charting a New Course for the U.S.-China Relationship" is available at [https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/reports/2016/0

The Chinese Communist Party issued new directives for religious affairs earlier this year, especially calling for religions to serve national interests. What does this new project to “sinicize” religions imply for religious practice in China? For Christians in China, how are they adapting as rising nationalism clashes with religions that have foreign roots? Sociologist Richard Madsen reflects on the takeaways from a recent gathering to discuss China's new policy on religion, which convened some of the key thinkers who formulated the new regulations and practitioners such as Catholic priests whose work are impacted by the regulations. Prof. Madsen is the Distinguished Professor of Sociology at UC San Diego, and the Director of the Fudan-UC Center on Contmpoerary China. Prof. Madsen has been called “one of the modern-day founders of the study of Chinese religion.” He authored 12 books, including Democracy's Dharma: Religious Renaissance and Political Develpment in Taiwan, China's Catholics: Tragedy and Hope in