China In Context: Season 5 (2024–2025)

What will Donald Trump’s re-election mean for relations between China and the US? Is Beijing alarmed by his threats of massive new trade tariffs, and the unpredictability that he likes to boast about? Or will it see his relative lack of interest in global affairs — and his love of a deal — as a chance to increase its leverage and put more pressure on Taiwan, while boosting its influence in the South China Sea? Presenter Duncan Hewitt discusses these issues with Jim McGregor, Chairman for Greater China at APCO Worldwide, Professor Steve Tsang, Director of the SOAS China Institute, and BBC Asia correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes.
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(Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0)

Ep181: The impact of Donald Trump’s re-election on US relations with China and East Asia

At the recent COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, China was seen as having played a part in getting an agreement — albeit a much criticised one — to increase funding to mitigate the climate crisis. And with Donald Trump threatening to pull the U.S, out of climate change mechanisms, Beijing’s role could become even more important. But China, now the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, continues to reject calls for it to be given developed nation status, which would require it to make increased financial contributions to tackle climate change. Journalist Isabel Hilton, founder of China Dialogue, discuses China's role in the climate talks, and its domestic environmental problems, with presenter Duncan Hewitt.
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In the light of recent developments, this episode was edited on 10 December 2024 to remove a more detailed reference to the podcast's former host, who left China in Context in September 2024. The SOAS China Institute would like to express its condemnation of his behaviour, of which it was unaware at the time, and for which he has now been jailed, and expresses the utmost sympathy to his victims.
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(Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0)

Ep182: China and the Climate Crisis — Good COP, Bad COP?

Donald Trump is promising to challenge China on everything from its exports to its global influence over the next four years, but what could this mean in practice? Professor Miles Yu of the Hudson Institute, principal advisor on China policy to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the first Trump administration, and Professor Evan Medeiros of Georgetown University, former senior director for Asia at the White House National Security Council under President Obama share their views on China in Context.

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The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.

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Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

Ep183: Trump and China — Deal or No Deal?

Donald Trump's new tariffs on Chinese exports may only boost the trend for Chinese companies to seek new markets and manufacturing bases overseas — including in Africa, where China is now the biggest trading partner and source of loans. On this episode, we discuss 'Made in Ethiopia', a new film looking at the human impact of Chinese involvement in Africa's industrialisation, with its directors Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan — and debate China's wider relationship with the continent with Professor Carlos Oya, head of the Department of Development Studies at SOAS, University of London.
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The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.

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Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

Ep184: China and Africa — An Intimate Portrait

With the US imposing new tariffs on Chinese exports, the state of the country’s domestic economy has become all the more crucial. Despite healthy export growth in recent years, at home consumer confidence has plummeted, with rising youth unemployment and a slump in the once booming housing market. Will recent government steps to reassure consumers and entrepreneurs and stimulate property sales be enough to revive the economy? Or does soaring local government debt mean more creative solutions are required? In this episode, we hear two perspectives on China’s economic challenges — from economist Andy Rothman, founder of Sinology LLC, and Professor Victor Shih, director of the 21st Century China Center at the University of California San Diego.
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The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.

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Music credit: Sappheiros / CC BY 3.0

Ep185: China's Economic Challenges — Consumption Slump and Soaring Local Government Debt

This month’s huge parade in Beijing for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia prompted much debate — both about the array of new missiles, drones and other military technology on display, and about the presence of not only Vladimir Putin, but also the North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. But while Beijing is happy to demonstrate its newfound military confidence, the parade is also a reminder of the increased attention China has been paying to its own role in World War II, with a growing number of museums and exhibits dedicated not only to its fight against Japan, but also — despite current tensions — to wartime military cooperation between China and the US, in the form of the Flying Tigers and the Doolittle Raiders. Melinda Liu, veteran Beijing bureau chief of Newsweek, and Vice-President of the Royal Asiatic Society in Beijing, discusses the contemporary resonances of these wartime echoes, as well her family connection to a period of history which is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the image China presents to the world.

Photo: Kremlin.ru / CC BY 4.0

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The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and are not necessarily those of the SOAS China Institute.

Ep195: China, the US and WWII — Wartime memories and contemporary resonances

China In Context is a fortnightly podcast by the SOAS China Institute (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) which offers expert analysis on the politics, economy, society, culture and history of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. It features interviews with leading academics, researchers, journalists and other China-specialists from around the world.