In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Qi Dongtao about U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan, China’s new Taiwan White Paper, the state and trajectory of cross-Strait relations, and the implications of shifts in U.S. policy, including those related to the potential passage of the Taiwan Policy Act introduced by the U.S. Senate. Haenle and Qi also discuss Dongtao’s new article published in the Journal of Contemporary China, “Urban Chinese Support for Armed Unification with Taiwan,” that examines which groups on the mainland show stronger support for armed unification with Taiwan and what factors contribute to their support.

Dr. Qi Dongtao is Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. Qi Dongtao received his Ph.D. in sociology from Stanford University in 2009. His research interests include Taiwanese nationalism and politics, cross-Strait relations, U.S.-China-Taiwan triangular relations and Chinese nationalism. Dr. Qi is drafting a book manuscript tentatively titled, Taiwan and the Cross-Strait Relations amid Great Power Competition, which explores new developments and challenges in cross-Strait relations since 2016. 

The international order is shifting. Besides COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to major crises that threaten global stability. While the European Union, the United States, and their allies and partners struggle to preserve peace in Europe, tensions are rising across the globe in the Taiwan Strait. To what degree has the world order shifted in 2022? How might the United States respond to intensifying challenges from Russia and China? How can the United States leverage the support of its allies and partners? 

During a live recording of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle sat down with Anja Manuel to examine ongoing challenges to the global rules-based order. This discussion is the second of Carnegie China's 2022 Distinguished Speakers Series and is available to be viewed on the Carnegie Endowment's website. 

https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/08/25/distinguished-speakers-series-anja-manuel-on-international-order-and-disorder-event-7922

In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Anushka Wijesinha about the ongoing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka. The discussion covers the domestic and international causes of Sri Lanka’s debt crisis, Beijing’s role in the Sri Lankan economy, and the path forward for debt restructuring negotiations between Colombo and Beijing. The two also touch on the broader impact of China’s development financing in the global south in the context of rising inflation and interest rates around the world.

Anushka Wijesinha is a Sri Lankan economist and international consultant. He has worked at the World Bank, International Trade Center, ADB, and UNCTAD. Anushka is the co-founder of Centre for a Smart Future, an Asia-based think tank. He also serves on the Board of Directors of three leading financial services companies – Seylan Bank PLC, FairFirst Insurance Ltd, and HNB Finance PLC.

In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Ali Wyne about his new book, America's Great-Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy to Meet the Challenges of Strategic Competition. Wyne’s book examines an increasingly salient yet poorly defined feature of international politics: great power competition. The book charts the similarities and differences between the current geopolitical environment and that of the Cold War, the nuances between the challenges posed by China and Russia, the strengths and weaknesses of their strategic partnership, and the principles upon which an affirmative rather than reactive U.S. grand strategy can be based.

Mr. Ali Wyne is a senior analyst with Eurasia Group's Global Macro-Geopolitics practice. Wyne is also a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a David Rockefeller fellow with the Trilateral Commission, and a security fellow with the Truman National Security Project. Wyne’s latest book is America's Great-Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy to Meet the Challenges of Strategic Competition, published by Polity Press in July 2022.

The Strategic Importance of the Indo-Pacific

Spanning from East Africa to the West Coast of the United States, the Indo-Pacific is a large and complex region encompassing two oceans and countless islands and maritime powers. In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Darshana Baruah about maritime security in Asia as well as recent developments in the Indo-Pacific. Having both recently participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Paul and Darshana discuss key takeaways from Asia's premier security summit. Darshana also shares her perspectives on shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Islands as well as new trends in India’s foreign policy.

Darshana M. Baruah is a fellow with the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where she leads the Indian Ocean Initiative. Her primary research focuses on maritime security in Asia and the role of the Indian Navy in a new security architecture. Darshana’s research on the Indian Ocean can be found here: https://carnegieendowment.org/publications/interactive/indian-ocean-map.

Almost 18 months into his presidency, Joe Biden’s approach to Asia is coming into focus. The administration has instituted new economic, security, and diplomatic policies to bolster U.S. involvement in the Indo-Pacific, providing clues to its priorities through high-profile events such as the publication of its Indo-Pacific Strategy in February and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s speech outlining its China policy in May. Amid an economic slowdown, the war in Ukraine, and the closely watched leadup to the Chinese Communist Party's 20th Party Congress, how would Beijing respond to the latest developments in Washington's stance toward Asia? And can Washington finally find a way to keep up with China’s growing presence in the region? 

During a live recording of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle sat down with Evan Medeiros, Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies and the Cling Family Senior Fellow in US-China Relations at Georgetown University, to explore the Biden administration’s approach to Asia. This discussion is the first of Carnegie China's 2022 Distinguished Speakers Series and is available to be viewed on the Carnegie Endowment's website. 

https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/06/16/distinguished-speakers-series-evan-medeiros-on-u.s.-china-competition-event-7894

As the United States reduces its footprint in the Middle East, China is stepping up its diplomatic and economic engagement in the region. Beijing has already struck notable deals with longstanding U.S. partners such as Saudi Arabia while maintaining strong ties to Iran. How will regional countries navigate intensifying U.S.-China competition? What role will China play on economic, diplomatic, and security issues in the Middle East? And how might the United States respond to Beijing’s growing influence in the region?

During a live recording of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle spoke with Amr Hamzawy, director of the Carnegie Middle East Program, He Wenping, professor at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Bilahari Kausikan, chairman of the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore. This panel is the fifth of the Carnegie Global Dialogue Series 2021-2022 and is available to be viewed on the Carnegie Endowment's website. https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/05/11/china-s-growing-role-in-middle-east-event-7874

Southeast Asia is home to more than 600 million people and the region generates over $3 trillion in economic activity per year. As a critical hub in this increasingly dynamic region, Singapore stands out as a leader in economic development and political stability. In this episode of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle speaks with Lam Peng Er about the current state and future trajectory of China-Singapore relations. The interview covers Singapore’s stance on the war in Ukraine and its special but awkward relationship with China. Haenle and Lam also discuss Singapore’s strategy for navigating growing U.S.-China competition and assess the United States’ new Indo-Pacific Strategy as well as its potential impact on Southeast Asian geopolitics.

Dr. Lam Peng Er is a Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute (EAI), National University of Singapore. He is the author of Japan’s Peace Building Diplomacy in Asia: Searching for an Active Political Role(London and New York: Routledge, 2009). Dr. Lam is an executive editor of the International Relations of the Asia-Pacific (A Journal of the Japan Association of International Relations published by Oxford University Press) and Asian Journal of Peacebuilding (Journal of the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, Seoul National University).

Beijing and Brussels have long been at odds over human rights issues and economic practices. The recent EU-China summit ended without significant breakthroughs, as the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment remains unsigned. Now, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could further jeopardize any future cooperation. How will the war in Ukraine impact China-EU relations going forward? Where does Europe stand amid ongoing U.S.-China competition? And what are the possible pathways to cooperation between China and the EU? 

During a live recording of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle spoke with Yeo Lay Hwee, director of the European Union Centre in Singapore, Jia Qingguo, professor and former dean of the School of International Studies of Peking University, and Philippe Le Corre, a nonresident senior fellow in the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This panel is the fourth of the Carnegie Global Dialogue Series 2021-2022 and is available to be viewed on the Carnegie Endowment's website. https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/04/12/china-eu-relations-amid-ukraine-crisis-event-7859

As President Biden wraps up his first year in office and as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatens to reorient the international order, China watchers reflect on the evolution of U.S.-China relations since President Nixon’s first visit to China in February 1972. 50 years later, there remain significant risks and tensions in the U.S.-China relationship. How has the bilateral relationship changed since diplomatic normalization? What are the main features of Biden’s approach to China? How will Beijing’s position on the war in Ukraine impact U.S.-China ties and China’s place in the world? On this joint episode of the China in the World podcast and the 12 Geniuses podcast, Paul Haenle joins Don MacPherson to discuss the history and trajectory of U.S.-China relations in the context of the war in Ukraine.

For more in-depth analysis on China’s response to the war in Ukraine, be sure to check out Haenle’s recently published article for the Carnegie Endowment, “China’s Ukraine Calculus Is Coming Into Focus”, as well as Haenle’s recent ChinaFile commentary, “China’s Calculus on the Invasion of Ukraine.”

https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/04/04/china-s-ukraine-calculus-is-coming-into-focus-pub-86801

https://www.chinafile.com/conversation/chinas-calculus-invasion-of-ukraine