The Hub with Wang Guan

The Year of the Horse is bringing new energy to Spring Festival celebrations around the world! From time-honored customs to modern creativity, how are traditions being refreshed for younger audiences and international viewers? And how does horse culture help bridge the past with today's artistic expression? In this special festive edition of The Hub, our guests share stories, insights, and memories of the Spring Festival, explore the meaning of the Chinese zodiac, and discuss how culture connects people across borders. They also send their Chinese New Year greetings to audiences around the globe, wishing everyone joy, success, and a wonderful Year of the Horse!

Music ushers in the Year of the Horse by bringing people closer across cultures. But what does a song mean when it crosses borders? How can music transform travel into understanding and strangers into friends? In this special edition of The Hub, Wang Guan celebrates the New Year with stories of music, connection, and cultural exchange as the One Voice Children's Choir returns to China to perform in Beijing ahead of the Chinese New Year. The choir and their director reflect on why they wrote their new song, "We Are Together," for Chinese audiences, share how performing in China this time feels different from previous visits, and explore how their interactions with local audiences have shaped their journey.

Why does the Epstein case continue to captivate the world? Does it reveal more than individual wrongdoing, but also expose deeper questions about power and accountability? In this episode of The Hub, Wang Guan speaks with Rina Shah, geopolitical analyst and commentator; Brandon Andrews, entrepreneur and former Hill staffer; and Josef Mahoney, professor of politics at East China Normal University, to examine the implications of the Epstein files. They explore how global elite networks operate, the obstacles facing the justice system, and how political pressure and withheld information erode public trust in some Western societies.

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games are currently underway, and attention is turning to how winter sports and tourism are reshaping economies around the world. What is driving China's winter tourism boom, and how much room is there for future growth? In this episode of The Hub, Wang Guan explores the rise of China's winter economy. He is joined by Kari Tirkkonen, CEO of Suomutunturi Ski Resort from Finland, Andy Mok, senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, and Paul Dong, co-founder of Ei Asia Limited and a sports industry observer. They examine how China is transforming its winter resources into a powerful economic engine. They discuss the surge in domestic travel, the expansion of winter tourism beyond traditional destinations, and the growing role of culture, leisure, and lifestyle consumption.

Rising tensions between the United States and Iran are reshaping diplomacy and security. Can dialogue still prevent escalation, and what do these developments mean for the wider world? In this edition of The Hub, Wang Guan is joined by Bobby Naderi, journalist and political commentator in London; Zhou Rong, senior analyst at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China; and Einar Tangen, senior fellow at the Center for International Governance Innovation. Together, they explore the latest signals from upcoming U.S.-Iran talks and discuss Washington's military deployments in the Middle East.

Relations between China and the United States are built through both national dialogue and, increasingly, by individual experience. What can personal experience teach us about peace and mutual respect? In this edition of The Hub, Wang Guan talks to Evan Kail, an American content creator who gained global attention after donating a rare World War II photo album documenting Japanese war crimes to China. Together, they examine his personal connection to the history of the World Anti-Fascist War, and how these experiences shape his views on war and peace. The conversation also looks into the role of people-to-people exchange in easing misunderstandings and reflects on what personal connections mean for the future of China–U.S. relations.

The United States has once again withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, but this move goes far beyond climate policy. In recent years, Washington has increasingly stepped back from multilateral institutions, raising serious questions about the future of global cooperation. What does this trend mean for the rules-based international order? Is global governance becoming more fragmented or simply being reshaped? In this episode of The Hub, Wang Guan is joined by guests to explore how U.S. withdrawals are viewed around the world, from Europe to the Global South, and what this shift means for fairness, stability, and shared responsibility in international affairs.

2026 marks 70 years of diplomatic engagements between China and Africa. China–Ghana cooperation is gaining new momentum. As global uncertainty rises, what makes China–Ghana cooperation stand out, and what does it signal for the future of China–Africa relations?

China's economy hit a major milestone in 2025, surpassing 140 trillion yuan in GDP. What has driven this growth — and what challenges lie ahead? In this episode of The Hub, host Wang Guan is joined by a panel of experts to discuss economic resilience, technological and industrial upgrading, the priorities of the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, and China's evolving role in the global economy. What forces are shaping China's next phase of development?

Recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, rising tensions with Iran, and its interest in Greenland may look separate — but are they? Is might prevailing over right? In this episode of The Hub, host Wang Guan and guests examine the strategic logic connecting these flashpoints and what they may reflect about deeper trends in shifting power, sovereignty, and the global order.