Chat Lounge

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden met on the sidelines of the G20 this week, the first face-to-face meeting between the two since Biden took office as U.S. president. Both said it was a candid conversation.

After the meeting, how much optimism should we put on the prospects for an improving China-U.S. relationship? What issues can the two sides start to work on to manage their differences and competitions?

Host Liu Kun is joined by David Moser, Associate Professor from Beijing Capital Normal University; Rick Dunham, Co-director, Global Business Journalism Program, Tsinghua University; and Dr. Zhao Hai, Director of International Political Studies, at the National Institute for Global Strategy.

Dealing with an aging population is one of the big topics at this year's China International Important Expo in Shanghai. A report prepared by China's State Information Center and released at the Expo finds more economically advanced areas in China are in general better prepared to cope with an aging society.

Are Chinese policy makers responding fast enough to an aging population? What are their plans for a silver economy? Host Liu Kun is joined by Zheng Zhenzhen, Professor of Population and Labor Economics of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Dr. Yao Shujie, Chueng Kong Professor of Economics, Chongqing University; Andy Mok, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization.

Germany's cabinet recently approved Chinese company COSCO Shipping Holdings Co. to buy a 24.9% stake in one of Hamburg's port terminals. COSCO has been successful in running Greece's Piraeus port and is also involved in a few other European ports.

What's the background of Chinese investment in European ports? Why are some European politicians pushing back against Chinese investment in European infrastructure?

Host Liu Kun is joined by Dr. Hans-Peter Burghof, Professor, Chair of the Banking and Finance Department at the University of Hohenheim, Germany; Dr. George Tzogopoulos, Director of EU-China Programs and Senior Research Fellow at European Institute of Nice; Liu Baocheng, Director of the Center for International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics.

China has introduced 15 new measures to boost foreign investment in the country. As the costs to enter the traditional first-tier cities become increasingly high, which other cities on the mainland have more growth potential and business opportunities? What strategic industries should investors look at in which cities?

To find out, host Tu Yun is joined Fabien Pacory, Vice President of the French Chamber of Commerce in China and French Foreign Trade Advisor , Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations, East China Normal University, and Liu Zhiqin, Senior Fellow, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China on this episode of Chat Lounge.

As the over 2000 delegates to the 20th Party Congress of China’s ruling CPC go through the work report delivered by Xi Jinping, China observers from around the world are trying to feel the pulse of the world’s second largest economy.

To decode the key messages conveyed in the report, host Tu Yun joins John Ross, Senior Fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations, East China Normal University, and Victor Gao, Chair Professor at Soochow University on this episode of Chat Lounge.

Nearly 2,300 delegates from across the country are in Beijing to attend the twice-a-decade National Congress of the Communist Party of China. What can be expected from the 20th CPC Party Congress?

Host Tu Yun joins Victor Gao, Chair Professor at Soochow University, John Ross, Senior Fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, and Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations, East China Normal University, on this episode of Chat Lounge.

The United States has slipped on a U.N. global development ranking based on sustainable development goals and now lags behind some countries widely viewed as developing nations. Is it a deviation from normality, or is the U.S. becoming a developing country? What has happened? Will the U.S. continue down this path?

Host Tu Yun joins Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations of East China Normal University, David Moser, Associate Professor of Beijing Capital Normal University, and Wang Xianghong, Professor and Director of Economic Behavior Laboratory, Renmin University of China, on this episode of Chat Lounge.

Europeans are rushing to buy electric heating devices amid concerns over a cold winter sparking gas shortages. What’s the biggest lesson to be drawn from Europe’s energy crisis? How should China prepare itself in the event of such a scenario?

To find out, host Tu Yun is joined by Harvey Dzodin, Senior Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization & former vice president of ABC TV network in New York, Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor at the University of International Business and Economics and Senior Lecturer at the University of Southampton, and John Gong, Vice President of Research and Strategy at the University of International Business and Economics Israel on this episode of Chat Lounge.

The German government is working on a new trade policy to reduce what it calls its “dependence” on China. How realistic is this de-facto decoupling plan? Once in place, what impact will it have on both countries and the globe?

To find out, host Tu Yun is joined by Peter Helis, Chief Advisor, Guangzhou Huangpu District, Guangdong Province, Dr. Ilaf Elard, Assistant Professor of Practice in Economics, New York University Shanghai, and Liu Zhiqin, Senior Fellow, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China.

The Biden administration’s recent series of acts and executive orders introduced to reshape the global value chain in favor of the U.S. have triggered discontent from China, South Korea, and its European allies. What has motivated such intensive moves by Washington? How will the U.S. attempt affect the global economy at a time of turbulence? And can those policies produce the results that the U.S. is hoping for?

To find out, host Tu Yun is joined by Dr. Digby James Wren, political analyst, Deakin University Visiting IR scholar and Senior Special Advisor to the Royal Academy of Cambodia, Dr. Liu Baocheng, Director of the Center for International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics, and Dr. Ilaf Elard, Assistant Professor of Practice in Economics, New York University Shanghai.