The US Department of Energy has assessed that COVID-19 mostly likely originated in a lab leak in Wuhan, and last week the Chinese Communist Party released its twelve-point "peace plan" for Ukraine. Miles Yu and Wilson Shirley discuss what the DOE's assessment means and the history of the lab-leak investigations, going back to early 2020. They then dive into China's long and complicated history with Ukraine in light of Beijing's peace plan, tracing from the fall of the Soviet Union to the current no-limits partnership between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

Read Miles's WSJ op-ed on the lab leak here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-reckless-labs-put-the-world-at-risk-11614102828

Follow the China Center's work at: https://www.hudson.org/china-center

#12 | The Lab Leak Theory Reemerges, and China's Ukraine Strategy

China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world’s future.

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Shane Leary joins Miles Yu to discuss his recent trip to Taiwan, the historic inauguration of Lai Ching Te of Taiwan, the People's Republic of China's subsequent military exercises, and recent protests over parliamentary reforms.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching Te's Inauguration

Shane Leary joins Miles Yu to discuss the recent summit between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in China. They analyze the two nations’ joint statement, the implications of their developing relationship, and the significance of Putin’s choice to visit the northeastern city of Harbin. Finally, they briefly preview the Presidential inauguration in Taiwan.

The Putin-Xi Summit and Its Implications for the Region

Shane Leary joins Miles Yu to discuss Xi Jinping’s recent trip to France, Serbia, and Hungary, what the People’s Republic of China hoped to gain by engaging these specific countries, and how successful their European Union diplomacy has been. They then discuss a massive e-commerce scam network operating in China, which was recently uncovered in a report by the Guardian, Dei Zeit, and Le Monde.

Xi’s Plan to Divide the EU, and the CCP’s International E-commerce Scam

Shane Leary joins Miles Yu to discuss comparisons drawn on Chinese social media between protesters on American campuses and the Red Guard of the Cultural Revolution. They then discuss recent concerns over how US-China relations might change if Donald Trump is elected for a second term, before turning to Apple's recent decision to remove certain apps from its devices in China.

Student Protests and the CCP, The Trump China Policy, and Apple Caves

Shane Leary joins Miles Yu to discuss Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visit to China, and the differences between the way in which China and the United States approach diplomacy. They then turn to the influence of Russia and the Soviet Union on Chinese politics, and how their histories shape Russia-China relations today. Finally, they discuss global electric vehicle competition, noting the new Xiaomi SU7, which appears to be a near replica of the Porsche Taycan.

#12 | The Lab Leak Theory Reemerges, and China's Ukraine Strategy

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