The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of China’s Digital Silk Road, which has become an increasingly crucial component of Xi Jinping’s flagship foreign policy project: the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, China has massively expanded its digital infrastructure investment across the globe. Accompanying the investment has been the diffusion of China’s digital governance norms and standards in recipient states. Countries in the Indo-Pacific have been at the forefront of this stretching Chinese digital influence landscape. The conflation between digital development cooperation and digital governance norms adoption has far-reaching implications that need to be better understood and addressed. 

To discuss the issue, Michael Caster joins host Bonnie Glaser. Caster is the Head of Global China Programmeat ARTICLE 19, an NGO that advances freedom of opinion and expression. His organization has published two reports examining China's Digital Silk Road. 

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[01:30] Understanding China’s Digital Silk Road 

[05:57] China’s Digital Governance Norms

[10:16] China’s Digital Footprints Abroad

[16:07] Attractiveness of Chinese Digital Solutions

[18:56] Role of High-Tech Companies in Digital Governance

[21:44] Assessing the Effectiveness of China’s Digital Governance

[23:14] State-Driven Surveillance and Censorship

[27:39] China’s BeiDou Navigation System 

[31:09] How should governments respond to these normative shifts? 

Nuclear weapons have changed the nature of modern warfare and exerted a profound impact on international politics. The Cold War logic of nuclear deterrence maintains that nuclear-armed states will not attack one another because of fear of massive retaliation, or mutually assured destruction. By this logic, nuclear weapons promote stability and can prevent war.

At the same time, however, nuclear weapons created a new dilemma. That is: “How can a state achieve its political objectives through military force without triggering a catastrophic nuclear exchange?”

This is a dilemma faced by all countries, especially nuclear powers. States have responded differently to this dilemma. What is China’s answer to this strategic dilemma? What has Beijing been doing to gain strategic leverage? How should we evaluate the success of China’s approach so far?

These issues are the subject of a new book titled Under the Nuclear Shadow: China’s Information Age Weapons in International Security. The author, Fiona Cunningham, joins host Bonnie Glaser for this episode. Fiona is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a Faculty Fellow at Perry World House and affiliated with the Center for the Study of Contemporary China and the Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[01:59] How do countries cope with the limited war dilemma?

[04:00] China’s Approach of Strategic Substitution

[07:24] Adoption of this Third Approach

[11:23] Utilizing Information-Age Weapons

[15:49] From Brinksmanship to Calibrated Escalation

[21:21] Understanding China’s No First Use Posture

[26:27] Following China’s Model 

[30:42] An American Response

In the past decade, China has ramped up its engagement in the Middle East, a region which is far from China geographically, but carries growing importance in China’s foreign policy. Economically, China is the biggest importer of the Middle East oil, particularly from Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Chinese state-owned enterprises have invested heavily in the region under the Belt and Road Initiative with an emphasis on physical and digital infrastructure, including telecommunications, 5G connectivity, submarine optic cables, and security information systems.  Diplomatically, China played a role in brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two longstanding regional rivals. Beijing has also been instrumental in expanding the BRICS multilateral mechanism to include four Middle East countries. 

Securing access to vital natural resources is a key driver of Beijing’s intensified engagement in the Middle East. But China’s interests are broader and encompass economic, geopolitical and strategic considerations.

To further discuss China’s interests and evolving role in the Middle East, Michael Schuman joins host Bonnie Glaser. Michael is a nonresident senior fellow at the Global China Hub of the Atlantic Council and an author and journalist with more than 25 years of on-the-ground experience in Asia.  He is the co-author of a recently published report by the Atlantic Council titled China’s Middle East policy shift from ‘hedging’ to ‘wedging.’

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[02:06] China’s Interest in the Middle East

[04:23] Evaluating China’s Strategy of “Wedging” 

[06:51] Evaluating China’s Position of Neutrality

[10:17] Factors Driving China’s Middle Eastern Strategy 

[13:46] Chinese Bilateral and Multilateral Engagement 

[16:08] China’s Energy Ties with the Middle East

[19:41] Implications for the United States

[24:19] Limits to Chinese Engagement 

The Global South is a term that covers a broad swath of developing countries and emerging economies in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. It is a grouping of over 130 heterogenous countries that is pushing to enhance its voice in global decision making. 

China, which self-identifies as a leader of the developing world, has a long history of engaging with the developing world. Under Xi Jinping, Beijing has deepened its ties with Global South countries through economic investment, diplomatic engagement, and security cooperation.  Meanwhile, developed countries from the wealthier and more industrialized Global North are stepping up efforts to counter Chinese influence and win support from Global South countries.  

What are China’s interests in the Global South?  What are the key strategies and tactics that Beijing utilizes to influence and engage with those countries? How have countries in the Global South responded to China’s influence?  And how will intensified Sino-American rivalry impact developing countries in the future? 

To discuss these issues, host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Mr. Masaaki Yatsuzuka, Senior Research Fellow at the China Division of the Regional Studies Department at the National Institute for Defense Studies in Japan (NIDS).  He is the co-author of the recently published report titled “The Rising Global South and China.” 

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[01:55] Resurgent Interest in the Global South 

[04:28] Engaging Developing Countries

[06:51] Economic Tools and Mechanisms to Exert Influence

[08:55] Motivation for Expanding Military Presence 

[12:33] Perceptions of China in the Global South 

[15:07] Why does China’s involvement in the Global South matter? 

[17:39] US-China Competition Impacting the Global South

[19:00] India, Brazil, and Other Rising Powers

[20:35] Tokyo’s Concerns Over China’s Influence 

[22:41] Response to Increased Attention Paid to Developing Countries

[24:37] China’s Reaction to the Trump Administration 

Space, once a distant destination, has become yet another battleground for great power competition.  Since the early days of the People’s Republic of China, the country has been pursuing a series of ambitious space programs aimed to build up its space capacity as an essential element of its comprehensive national power.  In recent years, under the Xi Jinping regime, Beijing has significantly increased its investment in its civilian space program efforts. It has a plan to send Chinese Taikonauts to the Moon before the US can return.  As the US-China strategic competition continues to heighten, it is vital to assess China’s space policy and its role in China’s grand strategy. 

To discuss these issues, host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Dean Cheng, senior advisor to the China program at the U.S. Institute of Peace and a nonresident fellow with George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute. Dean focuses on China’s space program, Chinese military doctrine, and “dual-use” issues associated with China’s scientific and technical enterprises.  He also recently published a book titled China and the New Moon Race.

Timestamp

[00:00] Start

[01:54] Space Race 2.0

[03:27] Space in China’s Grand Strategy

[05:27] Achievements of China’s Space Program

[07:18] Similarities and Differences in China’s Approach

[09:14] Nature of Public-Private Cooperation in China

[12:42] Implications of Landing on the Moon

[15:30] A Chinese Incident in Space

[17:00] International Lunar Research Station 

[18:50] Responses to China’s Space Ambitions

[21:03] Problems in the US-China Civilian Space Race

[23:20] Stars and Stripes on Mars

When this episode goes live four days from now, Donald Trump will have been sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, after having served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

Many countries around the world are closely watching to identify changes in US policy and assess their impact. China is one of those countries. As presidential candidate Donald Trump threatened to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods imported into the United States. He also proposed revoking China’s Most Favored Nation trading status and banning China from buying US farmland. He pledged to curtail Chinese espionage and theft of intellectual property. On some occasions Trump praised Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and predicted that they would get along very well. In the past few months, Trump and Xi have been in communication through their representatives.

What approach will Beijing take toward Trump’s presidency this time around? Is China in a stronger or weaker position than it was in during Trump’s first term? What is the likely trajectory of US-China relations in the coming four years?

To discuss these questions, host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Dr. Evan Medeiros, who is the Penner Family Chair in Asia Studies in the School of Foreign Service and the Cling Family Distinguished Fellow in US-China Studies at Georgetown University. He served seven years in President Obama’s NSC first as director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, and then as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asia. 

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[02:00] Lessons Beijing Learned from Trump’s First Term 

[04:11] Perceptions on the Balance of Economic Power 

[07:30] China’s Reaction to American Tariffs

[09:39] China Hurting the United States without Hurting Itself

[11:48] Starting Anew with the Trump Administration 

[13:38] An Early US-China Meeting

[16:46] An Inverse Bilateral Relationship 

[18:56] China Helping with the War in Ukraine

[25:18] Chinese Use of Force Against Taiwan 

[29:22] US Alliances Under the Trump Administration

[35:00] What worries Evan Medeiros in the US-China relationship?

In June 2020, Indian and Chinese forces engaged in a deadly clash along their disputed border in the Ladakh region. It was the deadliest confrontation since the 1962 war. Subsequently, bilateral ties between India and China deteriorated to their lowest level in decades. In recent months, however, China-India ties have begun to thaw.

Last October, India and China struck a border patrol deal. Indian Prime Minister Modi and China’s leader Xi Jinping subsequently met at the BRICS summit in Kazan—their first meeting in five years. That was followed by a round of talks by their top officials just a few weeks ago.

To discuss the status and trajectory of India-China relations, including how the second Trump presidency and other geopolitical developments are likely to influence that relationship, host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Dr. Tanvi Madan. Tanvi is a senior fellow in the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. She is author of the book “Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped U.S.-India Relations During the Cold War.”

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[01:45] October 2024 Border Patrol Deal

[06:40] Impetus for Stabilizing the Sino-Indian Relations

[10:50] Assessment of Wang Yi-Ajit Doval Meeting 

[15:26] Reviving Confident-Building Measures (CBMs)

[20:30] Overstating the Thaw in Sino-Indian Relations

[25:54] Bilateral Trade Volume and Economic Relations

[31:58] India-China Relations Moving Forward

In China’s 14th Five-Year Plan that spans from 2021 to 2025, priority was assigned to development of emerging technologies that could be both disruptive and foundational for the future. China is now a global leader in AI technology and is poised to overtake the West and become the world leader in AI in the years ahead. Importantly, there is growing evidence that AI-enabled military capabilities are becoming increasingly central to Chinese military concepts for fighting future wars.

A recently released report provides insights on Chinese perspectives on military use of AI. Published by Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), the report illustrates some of the key challenges Chinese defense experts have identified in developing and fielding AI-related technologies and capabilities. 

Host Bonnie Glaser is joined by the author of this report, Sam Bresnick, who is a Research Fellow at Georgetown’s CSET focusing on AI applications and Chinese technology policy. 

TimestampsB

[00:00] Start

[01:33] Impetus for the Georgetown CSET Report

[03:34] China’s Assessment of the Impacts of AI and Emerging Technologies

[06:32] Areas of Debate Among Chinese Scholars

[09:39] Evidence of Progress in the Military Application of AI

[12:13] Lack of Trust Amongst Chinese Experts in Existing Technologies

[14:25] Constraints in the Development and Implementation of AI

[18:20] Chinese Expert Recommendations for Mitigating AI Risk

[23:01] Implications Taken from Discussions on AI Risk

[25:14] US-China Areas of Discussion on the Military Use of AI

[28:50] Unilateral Steps Toward Risk Mitigation

China’s push to revise the international security order entered a new phase with the launch of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) in April 2022. A few months after Xi Jinping proposed GSI, host Bonnie Glaser did a podcast episode with Manoj Kewalramani to discuss the drivers behind GSI and analyze the initial statements outlining its content. 

More than 2 ½ years have elapsed since then, and scholars have begun to investigate how China is implementing GSI in various regions around the world. A new report from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) examines how GSI is being operationalized and received in two priority regions of Chinese foreign policy: mainland Southeast Asia and Central Asia. The study draws on field research in both regions. The report is titled “China’s Global Security Initiative Takes Shape in Southeast and Central Asia.” The report has three authors: Bates Gill, Carla Freeman and Alison McFarland. Bonnie Glaser is joined by Bates Gill for this episode to discuss the report’s findings. 

Bates is a senior fellow with the National Bureau of Asian Research, a Senior Associate Fellow with the Royal United Services Institute, and associated with USIP.

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[01:53] Objectives of China’s Global Security Initiative 

[04:22] GSI as an Additive or a Replacement

[07:21] Fieldwork in Southeast and Central Asia

[12:06] Concerns about China’s Intentions and Influence

[15:24] GSI Initiatives and Sources of Funding

[19:58] GSI and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

[23:55] Moscow’s View of GSI 

[29:27] Implications of GSI for the United States

The BRICS+ summit was held in the Russian city of Kazan this past October. The original BRICS comprised four countries: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. The first meeting that they held was in 2009. South Africa joined in 2011. BRICS has now grown to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. The recent summit also invited 13 countries to the group as partner states. Countries that have expressed interest in joining BRICS include Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand (which is a U.S. treaty ally), and Turkey (which is a member of NATO).

As countries in the Global South flock to form an increasingly significant geopolitical bloc in which China has assumed a leading role, it is important to understand how BRICS+ fits into China’s foreign policy strategy and the role that the BRICS mechanism is likely to play going forward. To discuss these issues, host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center which is based in Berlin. His research focuses on Chinese and Russian foreign policy. 

Timestamps

[00:00] Start

[01:37] Behind the Creation of BRICS

[04:08] BRICS+ in China’s Foreign Policy Objectives

[06:20] Domination of China in BRICS+

[09:13] Russian and Chinese Interest in BRICS+

[14:16] China and the Expansion of BRICS

[18:07] Noteworthiness of the Kazan Declaration

[21:10] Possibility of a BRICS Currency

[28:11] BRICS+ and U.S. Policy Under Donald Trump

[30:26] Responding to BRICS+ and a Multipolar World