Pekingology - Center for Strategic and International Studies

Is China’s Military Ready for War? Aug 21, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by M. Taylor Fravel, Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science and Director of the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They discuss Dr. Fravel's recent Foreign Affairs article, "Is China’s Military Ready for War? What Xi’s Purges Do—and Don’t—Mean for Beijing’s Ambitions." The conversation unpacks corruption, modernization, and sudden disappearances at the highest levels of the People's Liberation Army.

The Locknet: How China Controls its Internet Aug 07, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Jessica Batke, Senior Editor for Investigations at ChinaFile, and Laura Edelson, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Northeastern University. They discuss Jessica and Laura's new report "The Locknet: How China Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters," exploring how the government and internet platforms collaborate on censorship, how tensions between the CCP's political and economic goals play out online, and how Chinese censorship is changing the internet outside China.

History, Memory, and the Party Jul 24, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Dr. Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. Henrietta and Rana discuss the relationship between history and politics in today’s China, how memory of the Second World War shapes Beijing’s thinking on Taiwan, the worldview of the next generation of CCP leaders, and more.

To learn more about Rana Mitter’s perspectives on China, you can read his recent Foreign Affairs article, "The Once and Future China: How Will Change Come to Beijing?" as well as his most recent book, China’s Good War: How World War II Is Shaping a New Nationalism.

Kurt Campbell on China Strategy and Diplomacy Jul 10, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology, Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies, is joined by Kurt Campbell, former Deputy Secretary of State and President Biden’s “Asia Czar.” He is currently Chairman of The Asia Group and Distinguished Fellow in Diplomacy with the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Henrietta and Kurt discuss how Beijing views American power, the development of U.S. strategy towards China, U.S.-China diplomacy and the characters that sat on the Chinese side of the table, and more.

To learn more about Kurt Campbell’s perspectives on China, you can read his April 2025 Foreign Affairs article, co-authored with Rush Doshi, Underestimating China: Why America Needs a New Strategy of Allied Scale to Offset Beijing’s Enduring Advantages, and his 2016 book, The Pivot: The Future of American Statecraft in Asia.

New Episodes of Pekingology Coming Soon Jun 30, 2025

Pekingology is back with all-new conversations hosted by Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. Tune in on July 10th for our next episode featuring Dr. Kurt Campbell, former deputy secretary of state and President Biden’s “Asia Czar.”

China Across CSIS: The Influence of Xi Jinping’s Father, Xi Zhongxun Jun 26, 2025

In this episode from the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Joseph Torigian joins host Bonny Lin to discuss his newly released book, The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping. Dr. Torigian describes the life and struggle of Xi Zhongxun as a party official during the Cultural revolution and specifically the impact he had on the life and political views of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Dr. Torigian notes that his book utilizes the story of Xi Zhongxun’s life as a lens to better understand how the Party works and why both Xi Zhongxun and Xi Jinping believe certain values, such as those of sacrifice and suffering for the greater good, are highly important. He describes how Xi Jinping was viewed positively by his father due to the idea that his son had “eaten more bitterness” than other children, even going as far as to state that Xi Jinping had “the makings of a premier.”

Dr. Torigian describes how deeply involved Xi Zhongxun was during his time in the party on the United Front, ethnic policy in Tibet and Xinjiang, and policy towards Taiwan, and how, because of his father’s dedication to these issues, Xi Jinping views them as personal unfinished business. Finally, Dr. Torigian describes how Xi Zhongxun’s influence on his son has left Xi Jinping with a Hobbesian view of the world and with the idea that the Party is the best tool for helping China assert its rightful place in the world and secure its inevitable march towards greatness.

China Across CSIS: What Are U.S. and NATO Views on China? Jun 12, 2025

In this episode from The Impossible State, host Victor Cha moderates a discussion with Henrietta Levin, former Deputy China Coordinator for Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and former Director for China at the National Security Council, and Dr. Luis Simón, director of the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) School of Governance and the Brussels office of the Elcano Royal Institute.

Together, they discuss the Trump administration’s policy toward China, U.S.–China trade relations, the future of U.S. and NATO engagement with China, and more.

Originally aired on May 28, 2025.

China Across CSIS: Lessons and Next Steps from Deals with China and the UK May 29, 2025

On this episode from the Trade Guys, Bill Reinsch, Scott Miller, and Andrew Schwartz unpack the Geneva agreement between the U.S. and China to deescalate their trade war. They also look at the US-UK framework agreement and what lessons it offers for other countries looking to negotiate with the Trump administration.

Originally aired on May 15, 2025.

China Across CSIS: PRC Leadership Decisionmaking with Mr. Jon Czin May 15, 2025

In this special episode from the ChinaPower podcast, Mr. Jon Czin joins host Bonny Lin to discuss domestic dynamics and leadership decisionmaking within the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC), including what is currently missing in the conversation within the United States on Chinese politics.

Mr. Jonathan A. Czin is the Michael H. Armacost Chair in Foreign Policy Studies at Brookings Institution and a fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center. He is a former member of the Senior Analytic Service at CIA, where he was one of the intelligence community’s top China experts. From 2021 till 2023, he was director for China at the National Security Council, where he advised on, staffed, and coordinated White House and inter-agency diplomacy with the People’s Republic of China, including all of President Biden’s interactions with President Xi, and played a leading role in addressing a wide range of global China issues. He also served as advisor for Asia-Pacific security affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and overseas at a CIA field station in Southeast Asia.

Original interview published on October 31, 2024.

China Across CSIS: Communication Amid Competition with Chen Dongxiao May 01, 2025

In this special episode from China Field Notes from CSIS, host Scott Kennedy speaks with Chen Dongxiao, the President of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS). He discusses how China's shifting role to the center of global politics and economics has shaped his career, and he offers a frank assessment of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship during the late-Biden and early Trump administrations. The discussion concludes with a strong defense of the value of U.S.-China track-2 dialogue for thinking creatively about the world's most important challenges and offering reforms to global institutions.

Original interview published on April 3, 2025.

China Across CSIS: China Weathers the Storm of U.S. Tariffs Apr 17, 2025

In this special episode from The Truth of the Matter from CSIS, host Andrew Schwartz speaks with Scott Kennedy, CSIS senior adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics, to discuss the latest in the U.S.-China trade war, including China’s technological capabilities, new export controls, and the possibility of future decoupling.

Original interview published on April 17, 2025.

Dictatorship and Information Apr 03, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology from January 2023, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Martin K. Dimitrov, a professor of political science at Tulane University, to discuss his recent book, ‘Dictatorship and Information’: Authoritarian Regime Resilience in Communist Europe and China.

Why Does the CCP Need a Core? Mar 13, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology which aired in February 2022, Jude Blanchette is joined by Xuezhi Guo, the Lincoln Financial Professor of Political Science at Gilford College, to discuss his book, The Politics of the Core Leader in China: Culture, Institution, Legitimacy, and Power.

Coalitions of the Weak Feb 27, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology from June 2022, Jude Blanchette is joined by Victor Shih, associate professor and Ho Miu Lam Chair in China and Pacific Relations at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego. They discuss his book, Coalitions of the Weak: Elite Politics in China from Mao’s Stratagem to the Rise of Xi.

How the CCP Finances its Global Ambitions Feb 13, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology which aired on July 6, 2023, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a fellow for international political economy at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the book Sovereign Funds: How the Communist Party of China Finances Its Global Ambitions.

Outsourcing Repression Jan 30, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology from March 2023, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Dr. Lynette H. Ong, Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, jointly appointed to the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy’s Asian Institute and also a Faculty Fellow at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. They discuss her recent book Outsourcing Repression: Everyday State Power in Contemporary China.

What Happens if Xi Jinping Dies in Office? Jan 16, 2025

With the removal of the only term limit on office in March 2018, Xi Jinping stands to rule indefinitely. But what happens if he suddenly dies in office? How will China's political and economic system respond? In this episode from September 2020, Jude Blanchette is joined by Michigan State University's Erica Frantz to discuss her co-authored paper, "When Dictators Die."

Overcoming the Emperor's Dilemma Jan 03, 2025

In this episode of Pekingology which originally aired on June 17, 2021, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Wang Yuhua, the Frederick S. Danziger Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University, to discuss how rulers in Imperial China maintained -- and lost -- political power.

Fragmented Authoritarianism in Xi's China Dec 12, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, originally released on April 8, 2021, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Jessica Teets, then an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at Middlebury College (now Professor at Middlebury College and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Chinese Political Science), to discuss her work on China's evolving governance system.

The Rise of Data Politics Nov 26, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, originally released on April 21, 2022, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Lizhi Liu, Assistant Professor in the McDonough School of Business and a faculty affiliate of the Department of Government at Georgetown University, to discuss her paper, The Rise of Data Politics: Digital China and the World.

The State Advances, The Private Sector Retreats Nov 14, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology which aired on Dec. 10, 2020, Jude Blanchette talks to Jörg Wuttke, the president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, to discuss the expanding power and influence of state-owned enterprises in China's economy.

The Latecomer's Rise Oct 31, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Muyang Chen, Assistant Professor of International Development at Peking University’s School of International Studies. They discuss her new book The Latecomer's Rise: Policy Banks and the Globalization of China's Development Finance (Cornell University Press, 2024).

Enroll in the Flashpoints and Future of the U.S.-China Relationship course at cs.is/uschinacourse.

The Idea of China Oct 17, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Mark Leonard, co-founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. He is also the Henry A Kissinger chair in foreign policy and international relations at the US Library of Congress, Washington DC. They discuss his recently co-authored book The Idea of China: Chinese Thinkers on Power, Progress, and People. (European Council on Foreign Relations, 2024)

The Sentinel State Oct 03, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Minxin Pei, Tom and Margot Pritzker '72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. He is also editor of the China Leadership Monitor. They discuss his recent book The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China. (Harvard University Press, 2024)

Xi Jinping’s Plan for Taiwan Sep 19, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Kharis Templeman, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the manager of the Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region. He is also a Lecturer at the Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University. They discuss Taiwan’s Lai Ching-te administration, and the strategy Beijing may adopt to govern its relations with the Taipei.

China's Bird Cage Economy Sep 05, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by David Hoffman, Senior Advisor with the China Center for Economics & Business at The Conference Board The Conference Board, and non-resident Senior Associate with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. They discuss China’s economy, political economy, and evolving business environment.

China’s Role in UN Peacekeeping Operations Aug 22, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Courtney Fung, Associate Professor in the Department of Security Studies & Criminology at Macquarie University. She is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Asia Society Australia and at the Lowy Institute. They discuss her article “Peace by piece: China’s policy leadership on peacekeeping fatalities” (Contemporary Security Policy, July 2022), China’s role in the United Nations, and its involvement with international peacekeeping efforts.

Sino-India Relations Aug 08, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Manoj Kewalramani, Fellow for China Studies and the Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution. He is also a non-resident Senior Associate with the Freeman Chair in China Studies, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. They discuss interpreting Beijing's actions and Sino-India relations.

Ambassador Nicholas Burns on the U.S.-China Relationship Jul 25, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns. They discuss his time spent in China and his perception of current and future U.S.-China relations.

Preference Falsification and Regime Stability Jul 11, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Rory Truex, Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. They discuss Timur Kuran’s seminal 1991 paper Now Out of Never: The Element of Surprise in the East European Revolution of 1989. (World Politics, October 1991)

Authoritarian Deliberation Jun 27, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Jessica Teets, Professor at Middlebury College and Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Chinese Political Science. They discuss her work on resilient authoritarianism and information flows in contemporary China.

Does China’s Foreign Ministry Matter? Jun 13, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Dylan Loh Ming Hui, Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. They discuss his book “China’s Rising Foreign Ministry: Practices and Representations of Assertive Diplomacy” (Stanford University Press, April 2024.)

Disaggregating China Inc May 30, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Yeling Tan, Professor of Public Policy in the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University. She is also a non-resident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. They discuss her book Disaggregating China, Inc.: State Strategies in the Liberal Economic Order. (Cornell University Press, 2021)

Beyond China's Black Box May 16, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Jacob Stokes, Senior Fellow with the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. They discuss China’s foreign policy decision making and his new report “Beyond China’s Black Box: Five Trends Shaping Beijing’s Foreign and Security Policy Decision-Making Under Xi Jinping.” (April, 2024)

Mobilizing Patriotic Consumers May 02, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Audrye Wong, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California, and Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. They discuss her recent article: “Mobilizing patriotic consumers: China’s new strategy of economic coercion,” published in the Journal of Strategic Studies (May 2023).

China's Extreme Inequality Apr 18, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by the Andrew Walder, Denise O'Leary & Kent Thiry Professor at Stanford University, and Senior Fellow at the Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies. Today they discuss his article “China’s Extreme Inequality: The Structural Legacies of State Socialism.” (The China Journal, July 2023)

Understanding China's Regionally Administered Totalitarianism Apr 04, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Chenggang Xu, Senior Research Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions and Visiting Fellow at Hoover Institution of Stanford University to discuss the institutional underpinnings of China’s political economy. What explains the Communist Party’s ongoing resilience? Why did China pivot away from the economic reforms that had generated so much wealth for the country and the government? Xu advances the framework of “Regionally Administered Totalitarianism” (RADT) to describe China’s political economic transition during the reform period. He is also author of the forthcoming book Institutional Genes: The Origins of China's Institutions and Totalitarianism (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming) exploring these questions.

Overcapacity Feb 29, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette,is joined by Yanmei Xie, Geopolitics Analyst with Gavekal Research, who has recently been publishing articles at Gavekal and the Financial Times. Today, Jude and Yanmei discuss her recent client notes on Chinese overcapacity and its EV sector.

China's New Domestic Politics Feb 15, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Evan Medeiros, The Penner Family Chair in Asia Studies at Georgetown University. During the Obama Administration, Evan was on the staff of the National Security Council as Director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia and special assistant to the president and Senior Director for Asia. They discuss his recent report “The New Domestic Politics of U.S.-China Relations” published by the Asia Society Center for Public Analysis.

Xi’s New Growth Synthesis Jan 18, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Andrew Batson, China Research Director at Gavekal Dragonomics to discuss his recent blog post entitled “Xi’s New Growth Synthesis.” He also publishes The Tangled Woof blog, and wrote the enlightening post “Some Cadres Cannot Keep Up.”

Will Sanctions Deter China? Jan 05, 2024

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security to discuss her recent report entitled “No Winners in This Game: Assessing the U.S. Playbook for Sanctioning China.”

The Gilded Cage Dec 14, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Ya-Wen Lei, Professor of Sociology at Harvard University to discuss her recent book entitled “The Gilded Cage: Technology, Development and State Capitalism in China.”

The Party Knows Best: Aligning Economic Actors with China’s Strategic Goals Nov 22, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Max Zenglein, Chief Economist at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) to discuss his recent report, co-authored with MERICS Lead Analyst Jacob Gunter, entitled “The Party Knows Best: Aligning Economic Actors with China’s Strategic Goals.”

What’s Next for US-China Relations? The View from Congress Nov 09, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to discuss U.S.-China policy and the Select Committee’s work to address the strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The Administrative Foundations of the Chinese Fiscal State Oct 26, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Wei Cui, professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Colombia to discuss his recent book The Administrative Foundations of the Chinese Fiscal State.

China’s New Navy Oct 12, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Xiaobing Li, professor of history and Don Betz Endowed Chair in International Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma to discuss his new book China’s New Navy: The Evolution of PLAN from the People’s Revolution to a 21st Century Cold War.

Party of One Sep 08, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Chun Han Wong, a China reporter for the Wall Street Journal, to discuss his new book Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China’s Superpower Future.

Reshaping Corporate China Aug 25, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Thomas Gatley, China Strategist at Gavekal Dragonomics, to discuss his recent report “Reshaping Corporate China.”

How Loyal is the PLA? Aug 10, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Eric Hundman, senior research analyst at BluePath Labs, to discuss his article “Fearing Hardships and Fatigue? Refusals to Serve in China’s Military, 2009-2018,”which wasrecently published in the Journal of Contemporary China.

How the CCP Finances its Global Ambitions Jul 06, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a fellow for international political economy at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the new book Sovereign Funds: How the Communist Party of China Finances Its Global Ambitions.

The National Security Commission Meets Jun 15, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Gerard Dipippo – Senior Fellow in the Economics Program at CSIS, and Andrew Polk – Co-founder of Trivium China and Senior associate with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. This week they discuss China’s national security and the readout from the recent convening of China’s National Security Commission.

Interpreting the Recent Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission Meeting May 25, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Carl Minzner – Senior Fellow for China Studies at the Council for Foreign Relations and a Professor of Law at Fordham Law School, Gerard Dipippo – Senior Fellow in the Economics Program at CSIS, and Andrew Polk – Cofounder of Trivium China and Senior associate with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. Through the lens of China’s politburo and domestic leadership, they examine how China assesses its economy and recovery since the end of zero-COVID policies.

How Information Flows Impact Decision Making May 11, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Tyler Jost – Assistant Professor in the department of Political Science at Brown University. They discuss how China’s bureaucratic structure and politics impacts leader decision making.

Economic Dynamics of a Cross-Strait Crisis Apr 13, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Gerard Dipippo – Senior Fellow in the Economics Program at CSIS, and Andrew Polk - Cofounder of Trivium China and Senior associate with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. They discuss the economic and financial dynamics of a possible Taiwan Strait Crisis.

Outsourcing Repression Mar 30, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Dr. Lynette H. Ong, Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, jointly appointed to the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy’s Asian Institute and also a Faculty Fellow at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. They discuss her recent book Outsourcing Repression: Everyday State Power in Contemporary China.

The Political Logic of Taxation in China Mar 23, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Dr. Changdong Zhang, Professor in the Department of Political Science at Peking University and Visiting Scholar at the Harvard-Yenching Institute, to discuss his recent book Governing and Ruling: The Political Logic of Taxation in China.

China’s Evolving Political and Economic System Mar 02, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Kellee Tsai, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science and Chair Professor of Social Science at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, to discuss her recent articles “Structural Power, Hegemony, and State Capitalism: Limits to China’s Global Economic Power,” published in Politics & Society, and “China’s Party-State Capitalism and International Backlash: From Interdependence to Insecurity,” published in International Security.

Corporate Governance with Chinese Characteristics Feb 16, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Kjeld Erik Brødsgaard, Professor at the Department of International Economics, Government and Business at the Copenhagen Business School, to discuss his work on corporate governance in the Chinese state sector, focusing on his paper: “Corporate Governance with Chinese Characteristics: Party Organization in State-owned Enterprises.”

Party Building in China's Institutions Feb 02, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Daniel Koss, a Research Scholar and Lecturer in East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University, to discuss his work on Party-building in two recent articles: “Party Building as Institutional Bricolage: Asserting Authority at the Business Frontier & Discipline Inspections,” published in the China Quarterly, and his forthcoming paper, “Discipline Inspections and the Transformation of Party Authority in China’s Banks."

China’s Influence and Investments in Africa Jan 19, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Margaret Pearson, Distinguished Professor and Distinguished Scholar-Teacher in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park to discuss her recent research on Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa. Her recent works include “Does Chinese FDI in Africa Inspire Support for a China Model of Development” and “Foreign Direct Investment, Unmet Expectations and the Prospects of Political Leaders: Evidence from Chinese Investment in Africa.”

Dictatorship and Information Jan 05, 2023

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Martin K. Dimitrov, a professor of political science at Tulane University, to discuss his recent book, ‘Dictatorship and Information’: Authoritarian Regime Resilience in Communist Europe and China.

Consensus-Building Toward a New Top Priority Dec 15, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Howard Wang, an associate political scientist at the RAND Corporation, to discuss his recent paper, ‘Security Is a Prerequisite for Development’: Consensus-Building toward a New Top Priority in the Chinese Communist Party.

The Rise and Fall of the EAST Dec 01, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Yasheng Huang, the Epoch Foundation Professor of International Management and Faculty Director of Action Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management, to discuss his forthcoming book, The Rise and the Fall of the EAST: Examination, Autocracy, Stability and Technology in Chinese History and Today.

Missionary Roots of Nationalism Nov 10, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Dan Mattingly, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Yale University, to discuss his recent paper, The Missionary Roots of Nationalism: Evidence from China. In addition to the paper, they discuss emerging questions surrounding China’s system, the shift of leadership norms in China, and whether China is beginning a new crisis era under centralized rule.

Political Selection of Local Cadres Oct 27, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by Linan Jia, a political scientist who recently received her PhD from the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, to discuss her recent article, Loyalty and Competence: The Political Selection of Local Cadres in China.

China’s Strategic Opportunity Oct 13, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Yong Deng, professor in the Department of Political Science at the United States Naval Academy, to discuss his new book, China's Strategic Opportunity: Change and Revisionism in Chinese Foreign Policy.

Chinese Influence through Technical Standardization Power Sep 29, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Tim Rühlig, Research Fellow in the Technology and Global Affairs Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss his recent paper, Chinese Influence through Technical Standardization Power.

Surveillance State Sep 16, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Josh Chin and Liza Lin, both reporters at the Wall Street Journal, to discuss their new book, Surveillance State: Inside China's Quest to Launch a New Era of Social Control.

Capital Mobility and Taxation Aug 25, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Ling Chen, an assistant professor in political economy at Johns Hopkins SAIS, to discuss her article, Capital Mobility and Taxation: State-Business Collusion in China.

Picking Losers Aug 11, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by David Bulman, the Jill McGovern and Steven Muller Assistant Professor of China Studies and International Affairs and U.S. Director of the Pacific Community Initiative at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), to discuss his co-authored paper, Picking Losers: How Career Incentives Undermine Industrial Policy in Chinese Cities.

Localized Bargaining Jul 28, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Xiao Ma, an assistant professor of Political Science at Peking University and faculty associate at Peking University Research Center for Contemporary China, to discuss his recent book, Localized Bargaining: The Political Economy of China’s High-Speed Railway Program.

Terror Capitalism Jul 14, 2022

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Darren Byler, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University, to discuss two of his recent books, Terror Capitalism: Uyghur Dispossession and Masculinity in a Chinese City,and In the Camps: China's High-Tech Penal Colony.

Rebuilding Authority Jun 30, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Jean Christopher Mittelstaedt, departmental lecturer in modern Chinese studies at the University of Oxford, to discuss his recent paper, Rebuilding Authority: The Party's Relationship with Its Grassroots Organizations.

Coalitions of the Weak Jun 16, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Victor Shih, associate professor and Ho Miu Lam Chair in China and Pacific Relations at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego. They discuss his new book, Coalitions of the Weak: Elite Politics in China from Mao’s Stratagem to the Rise of Xi.

Factional Model-Making in China Jun 02, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Olivia Cheung, Research Fellow at the China Institute at SOAS University of London, to discuss her recent paper, Factional Model-making in China: Party Elites’ Open Political Contention in the Policy Process.

China’s Power Position in Global Ports May 19, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Isaac B. Kardon, an assistant professor in the Strategic and Operational Research Department at the U.S. Naval War College, to discuss his paper Pier Competitor: China’s Power Position in Global Ports, which is co-authored with Wendy Leutert.

The views expressed by the guest are his own and do not necessarily represent those of the Navy or Department of Defense.

Foreign and Security Policymaking in Xi Jinping’s China May 05, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Suisheng Zhao, Professor and Director of the Center for China-US Cooperation at University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, to discuss his paper, Top-level Design and Enlarged Diplomacy: Foreign and Security Policymaking in Xi Jinping’s China.

The Rise of Data Politics Apr 21, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Lizhi Liu, Assistant Professor in the McDonough School of Business and a faculty affiliate of the Department of Government at Georgetown University, to discuss her recent paper, The Rise of Data Politics: Digital China and the World.

Elite Purges in Marxist-Leninist Regimes Apr 07, 2022

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Joseph Torigian, an assistant professor in the School of International Service at American University, to discuss his paper “You Don't Know Khrushchev Well”: The Ouster of the Soviet Leader as a Challenge to Recent Scholarship on Authoritarian Politics.

Defending Stability Under Threat Mar 24, 2022

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by H. Christoph Steinhardt, assistant professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Vienna, to discuss his paper, Defending Stability under Threat: Sensitive Periods and the Repression of Protest in Urban China.

The Xi Jinping Effect Mar 10, 2022

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Ashley Esarey, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta, to discuss his recent paper, Propaganda as a Lens for Assessing Xi Jinping’s Leadership.

Why Does the CCP Need a Core? Feb 24, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is join by Xuezhi Guo, the Lincoln Financial Professor of Political Science at Gilford College, to discuss his book, The Politics of the Core Leader in China: Culture, Institution, Legitimacy, and Power.

Grading Xi Jinping Feb 10, 2022

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Elizabeth Economy, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, currently on leave serving as senior advisor for China in the Department of Commerce. They discuss her evaluation of Xi Jinping’s leadership, as well as her new book, The World According to China.

Democratic Centralism Jan 27, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Patricia Thornton, an Associate Professor of Chinese Politics at University of Oxford and Acting Chief Editor of The China Quarterly. They discuss her recent paper, Of Constitutions, Campaigns and Commissions: A Century of Democratic Centralism under the CCP.

Performative Governance Jan 13, 2022

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Iza Ding, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pittsburg, to discuss her paper, Performative Governance.

From General Secretary to Chairman: Xi Jinping’s Third Road Dec 16, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Ling Li, a Lecturer in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Vienna, to discuss her essay, The Third Road: Where Will Xi Jinping Go in 2022?.

Cyber Nationalism and Regime Support under Xi Jinping Dec 02, 2021

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Rongbin Han, an Associate Professor in the Department of International Affairs at The University of Georgia, to discuss his recent paper, Cyber Nationalism and Regime Support under Xi Jinping: The Effects of the 2018 Constitutional Revision.

Public Opinion in China Nov 18, 2021

On this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Rory Truex, an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University, to discuss his research on public opinion in China.

For more on Rory's work: https://www.rorytruex.com/research-areas

Special Deals with Chinese Characteristics Oct 21, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Chang-Tai Hsieh, the Phyllis and Irwin Winkelried Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, to discuss his recently co-authored paper, Special Deals with Chinese Characteristics.

From Mao to Now Oct 07, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by David Shambaugh, the Gaston Sigur Professor of Asian Studies, Political Science & International Affairs, and the founding Director of the China Policy Program in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, to discuss his new book, China's Leaders: From Mao to Now.

Political Risk and Firm Exit Sep 23, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Jack Zhang, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Trade War Lab at the University of Kansas. They discuss a co-authored paper with Samantha Vortherms, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC Irvine, Political Risk and Firm Exit: Evidence from the US-China Trade War, which examines the political economy of tariffs and decoupling.

Who Not What Sep 09, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Mary Gallagher, Professor of Political Science and Director of the International Institute at the University of Michigan, and Blake Miller, Assistant Professor of Computational Social Science at the London School of Economics, to discuss their recent paper, Who Not What: The Logic of China's Information Control Strategy, which examines how the Chinese Party-state controls social media.

References: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/china-quarterly/article/who-not-what-the-logic-of-chinas-information-control-strategy/4DC69883679770CBCDB1F1B87A34F09E

Rethinking Chinese Politics Aug 26, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Joseph Fewsmith, Professor of International Relations and Political Science at the Boston University Pardee School, to discuss his new book, Rethinking Chinese Politics, which was recently published by Cambridge University Press.

Workers and Change in China Aug 12, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Manfred Elfstrom, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics, Philosophy, and Political Science at the University of British Columbia, to discuss his new book, Workers and Change in China: Resistance, Repression, Responsiveness.

Reading the People's Daily Jul 29, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Manoj Kewalramani, a Fellow in China Studies at the Bangalore-based Takshashila Institution. They discuss how and why to read the People's Daily.

Retrofitting Leninism Jul 15, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Dimitar Gueorguiev, an associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, to discuss his forthcoming book, Retrofitting Leninism: Participation without Democracy in China.

Visible Development First Jul 01, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Leng Ning, an Assistant Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, to discuss her research on state-business relations and incentive structures for CCP cadres.

Overcoming the Emperor's Dilemma Jun 17, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Wang Yuhua, the Frederick S. Danziger Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University, to discuss how rulers in Imperial China maintained -- and lost -- political power.

Patriotic Education Jun 03, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by Karrie J. Koesel, an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, to discuss her research on Beijing's campaign to instill regime loyalty amongst the Chinese population.

Cautious Bully May 20, 2021

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by George Mason University's Ketian Zhang to discuss her recent article, "Cautious Bully: Reputation, Resolve, and Beijing's Use of Coercion in the South China Sea."

Ideology Matters May 06, 2021

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by Jason Wu, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Indiana University, to discuss his work mapping the substance and spectrum of ideology in China.

The Strength of a Weak Organization Apr 22, 2021

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by Jérôme Doyon, a Departmental Lecturer on Contemporary Chinese Studies at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, to discuss his research on the evolving role of the Communist Youth League as a "path to power" within China's elite political networks.

Fragmented Authoritarianism in Xi's China Apr 08, 2021

In this week's episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Jessica Teets, an Associate Professor in the Political Science Department at Middlebury College, to discuss her work on China's evolving governance system.

Provincial Power in a Centralizing China Mar 25, 2021

In this week's episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Yeling Tan, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Oregon and Kyle Jaros, an Associate Professor of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. They discuss the critical -- and surprising -- role that provinces play in China's economic policymaking and development. Despite Xi Jinping's centralizing tendencies, provincial governments are as important as ever.

Ideology and Law in Xi Jinping's China Mar 11, 2021

In this episode, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette talks with Rogier Creemers, an Associate Professor in the Law and Governance of China at Leiden University, about the role ideology plays in China's evolving legal and governance system.

Stock Markets with Authoritarian Characteristics Feb 25, 2021

In this week’s episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by John Yasuda, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University to discuss his research on the development of China's financial and equity markets, and how these intersect with Beijing's political priorities.

Grand Steerage Feb 11, 2021

In this week's episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Andrew Polk of Trivium China and Barry Naughton, the So Kwanlok Chair of Chinese International Affairs at UC San Diego, to discuss Beijing's evolving theory and praxis towards managing its economic and financial systems.

The New Realities of Party-State Capitalism in China Jan 28, 2021

On this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette explores the evolving nature of Chinese state capitalism with Meg Rithmire, the F. Warren McFarlan Associate Professor at Harvard Business School.

Does Xi Jinping Face a Coup Threat? Jan 21, 2021

In this episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by Yale University's Dan Mattingly to discuss his new working paper, "How the Party Commands the Gun: Coups, Revolts, and the Military in China." In it, Dan leverages a new dataset of over 10,000 appointments in the PLA to explore how Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping, manage the possibility of coups through personnel appointments.

Statistics and State-Building in Mao's China Jan 07, 2021

How did communist ideology affect state-building efforts in the early PRC? How and why does the current CCP leadership view statistics through the lens of politics? In this episode, Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette is joined by Arunabh Ghosh, an associate professor of Modern Chinese History at Harvard University to discuss his new book, Making it Count: Statistics and Statecraft in the Early People's Republic of China.

The State Advances, The Private Sector Retreats Dec 10, 2020

In this episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette talks to Jörg Wuttke, the president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, to discuss the expanding power and influence of state-owned enterprises in China's economy.

Why the 19th Party Congress Matters Nov 19, 2020

What is the role of the quinquennial Party Congress? And why was the 19th Party Congress in 2017 so important to China's future economic, political, and military trajectory? In this episode, Jude Blanchette is joined by Dan Tobin, a member of the China studies faculty at the National Intelligence University, to explore the "watershed" of the 19th Party Congress.

The opinions expressed in the podcast belong solely to the guest and do not in any way represent the views of the United States government.

Do Intellectuals Matter in Xi's China? Nov 05, 2020

Under the rule of Xi Jinping, the space for intellectual debate has shrunk dramatically, impacting both China's left and right. To explore the realities of intellectual discourse in contemporary China, Jude Blanchette is joined by veteran journalist Chris Buckley of the New York Times.

China's Global Status Anxiety Oct 22, 2020

Is China a developing country or a superpower? This question is at the heart of Pu Xiaoyu's 2019 book, Rebranding China: Contested Status Signaling in the Changing Global Order. In this episode, he joins Jude Blanchette to explore how China's "contradictory posturing" complicates interpretations of its foreign policy.

China's Changing Strategy in Xinjiang Oct 08, 2020

What explains Beijing's extraordinary campaign of repression in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region? In this episode, Jude Blanchette is joined by political scientist Sheena Greitens to discuss her 2019 paper, "Counterterrorism and Preventive Repression: China's Changing Strategy in Xinjiang."

What Happens if Xi Jinping Dies in Office? Sep 24, 2020

With the removal of the only term limit on office in March 2018, Xi Jinping stands to rule indefinitely. But what happens if he suddenly dies in office? How will China's political and economic system respond? In this episode, Jude Blanchette is joined by Michigan State University's Erica Frantz to discuss her co-authored paper, "When Dictators Die."

Mobilizing for Development Sep 10, 2020

In this episode of Pekingology, Georgetown University's Kristen Looney joins Jude Blanchette to discuss her new book, Mobilizing for Development: The Modernization of Rural East Asia, which explores, inter alia, how the CCP used political campaigns to drive poverty alleviation efforts in rural China.

Revisiting China’s Social Volcano Aug 27, 2020

In this episode of Pekingology, Harvard University’s Lei Ya-Wen joins Jude Blanchette to discuss her recent paper, "Revisiting China’s Social Volcano: Attitudes toward Inequality and Political Trust in China," which explores the evolving attitudes of Chinese citizens towards inequality and what impact this has on social stability and political trust.

Welfare for Autocrats Aug 13, 2020

In this episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette is joined by Stanford University's Jennifer Pan to discuss her new book, Welfare for Autocrats: How Social Assistance in China Cares for its Rulers, which explores how China's social safety net has morphed to become a tool for enforcing political stability.

Communists Constructing Capitalism Jul 28, 2020

In this first episode of Pekingology, Jude Blanchette invites Julian Gruin to discuss the evolution of China's hybrid economic system and the domineering role of the Communist Party over the financial sector.

Julian Gruin is assistant professor of transnational governance at the University of Amsterdam. You can find his book, Communists Constructing Capitalism: State, Market, and the Party in China's Financial Reform, here.

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