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In this episode, we talk with Zephyr—YouTuber, Bilibili creator, and current affairs commentator; and Mikaela Nhondo Erskog, PhD candidate at Fudan University and researcher at Tricontinental Institute, about their lived experiences navigating safety, infrastructure, and daily life in China versus the U.S. 

From being robbed repeatedly in Boston to walking alone at 2 a.m. in Shanghai without fear, from the “toilet revolution” and high-speed rail connecting rural villages to the global silence on Chinese solar lamps lighting up off-grid Africa—we unpack what “people-centered development” actually looks like on the ground, and why Western media won’t show it.

0:00 Living in China vs. the West: Personal Stories from International Residents
4:45 Safety as a Woman: Why Shanghai Feels Like a Culture Shock After New York & South Africa
20:25 Public Toilets as Human Rights: China’s “Toilet Revolution” vs. Privatized Bathrooms in the U.S.
37:21 Lighting Up Africa: How $1 Chinese Solar Lamps Are Changing Lives in Sub-Saharan Africa
49:24 Rural Tourism & High-Speed Rails: How China Connects Cities, Countryside, and Culture
58:45 Eating for $2 in Shanghai vs. Surviving on Instant Noodles in New York: The Real Cost of Living

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In this episode, we’re joined by Anlin Wang, Steering Committee member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) International Committee and co-lead of its China Working Group, and Dee Knight, longtime anti-imperialist organizer, author of Befriending China: People-to-People PeaceMaking, and advisor to Friends of Socialist China.

Drawing from their recent travels across China—from the high-speed rail corridors of Beijing and Shanghai to the mountainous villages of Guizhou and Xinjiang—our guests share firsthand accounts that challenge dominant Western narratives. They unpack the realities of China’s poverty alleviation programs, its commitment to religious freedom, the scale of its renewable energy transition, and the socialist infrastructure reshaping daily life. Most importantly, they explain why China represents not a threat, but a living example of common prosperity and internationalist hope in an age of climate crisis and imperial decline.

0:00 Meet Our Guests
3:51 Experiencing China’s Development Firsthand
14:06 Western Left’s Ideological Struggles with China
21:06 Befriending China: People-to-People Peacemaking
22:00 Inside Xinjiang: What We Saw and What’s True
32:46 China’s Green Transition vs Western Climate Hypocrisy
46:07 Trump’s Racism and the Decline of US Empire

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In this episode of Roughly Chinese Pod, our host Mimi sits down with Zhong Xiangyu, Taiwan compatriot, reunification advocate, and geopolitical commentator, to unpack the dramatic political upheaval shaking Taiwan province. Xiangyu breaks down the DPP's failed "Great Recall" campaign, exposes decades of historical revisionism in Taiwan's education system, and reveals why the US is quietly distancing itself from Lai Ching-te.

0:00 Meet Our Guest: Xiangyu from Taiwan
2:47 The Great Recall: Taiwan's Failed Power Grab
17:09 How the DPP Rewrites History & Manipulates Identity
29:00 US Abandoning Taiwan? The Complicated Relationship
40:07 What the West Gets Wrong About Taiwan
46:25 Hope for Reunification: Breaking Down the Walls

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In this episode, we talk with Ashwin Shantha, host of the International Solidarity Podcast, about Canada's complete dependence on US foreign policy, the Air Canada flight attendants' strike victory after defying back-to-work orders, our experiences as diaspora unlearning anti-China propaganda, and what we actually found living in China—public safety, functioning infrastructure, and socialism in practice.

0:00 Meet Our Guest
1:36 Canada's Puppet Show: Following US Into Trade War
9:21 Air Canada Strike & Worker Rights
20:25 Unlearning the Anti-China Lies
46:05 Public Space in China vs the West
1:08:44 What Socialism Actually Looks Like

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In this episode of Roughly Chinese Podcast, we sit down with Mr. Carl Zha, host of the Silk and Steel podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans hidden chapters of World War II history, the significance of September 18 in China, and his family’s personal stories of survival. We also dive into the TikTok 'deal' and what it reveals about Washington’s anxieties over China’s rise, explore Beijing’s long-standing support for Palestine and the global struggle against imperialism, and reflect on America’s deep polarization, healthcare failures, and contested notions of freedom.

Chapters:
0:00 Meet Our Guest
2:30 History, Memory, and September 18
12:09 TikTok, Media, and the New Cold War
21:30 Palestine, Mao, and Global Struggles
28:39 America's Real Crisis After Charlie Kirk: Polarization
41:59 Freedom, Soft Power, and the Global South

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In this episode of Roughly Chinese Pod, our host Mimi sits down with Zhong Xiangyu—Taiwan compatriot, reunification advocate, and geopolitical commentator—to explore the complex reality of Taiwan's political landscape that Western observers often misunderstand.

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If one’s goal were to bring about a nuclear winter, nuclear weapons would remain unmatched. But China has no interest in such destruction. Instead, if the task is simply to guard against intrusion or reach distant targets without leaving poisoned soil behind, China has pursued more measured, efficient, and cost-effective alternatives.

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On September 3rd, China held a grand military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. In this episode of the Roughly Chinese Podcast, our host Mimi is joined by Li Jingjing, journalist and commentator at CGTN, to discuss how World War II is remembered differently in the East and the West, and why this history matters not only to China, but to people everywhere.

For more insights from Li Jingjing, pls visit:

https://www.youtube.com/@UCPvWHbIwTHbXX9Jo_Vephdg 

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#politics #southamerica #socialism 
Chapters:
0:00 Intro – Meet Our Guest  
2:23 Chávez’s Legacy & Venezuela–China Relations  
7:05 China vs. US in Latin America  
14:54 Venezuela’s Socialist Path & Development  
18:57 US Imperialism & Regional Challenges  
29:12 Future of South America & Global South Unity  
33:24 AI Technology & Digital Sovereignty

This excerpt is from a conversation with Mr. Carlos Ron — former Venezuelan diplomat and researcher at the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research. He joined our host, Mimi, to explore Venezuela’s evolving partnership with China, the contrasting roles of the US and China in Latin America, and the broader struggle for sovereignty across the Global South. Their discussion touches on Venezuela’s socialist path, the challenges of US imperialism, and the growing vision of South–South unity, while also reflecting on how advances in AI technology highlight the importance of digital independence in shaping the future.

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