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A place to unpack reactions to major events and hot issues in a casual setting.
277 Episodes
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SMILE, a joint China–Europe satellite, is about to capture something we've never seen before: Earth's magnetic shield in action. What is it trying to do? Why does it matter, and how could it affect your phone, your flight, or even the power grid? And in a divided world, what does this rare space partnership really reveal?
Host Tu Yun joins Professor Quentin Parker, the Director of the Lab for Space Research, University of Hong Kong, Dr. Zhang Fan, an Associate Professor of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, and Professor Andy Mok of Beijing Foreign Studies University, who's also a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization to break down the science, the stakes, and the geopolitics behind the SMILE mission.
Since elevating the goal of becoming a "maritime power" in 2012, China has made significant progress. What are the most eye-catching achievements? As the focus shifts from speed to quality, how could China's AI and digital tech edge help reshape the country's traditional maritime sectors? And in a system where a few countries still hold technological and narrative dominance, how can China gain a greater voice in rule-setting through global cooperation?
Host TU Yun joins Yan Yan, a senior research fellow with the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Qu Qiang, a professor and fellow of the Belt and Road Research Center at Minzu University of China, and Warwick Powell, an adjunct professor at Queensland University of Technology, to navigate the opportunities, challenges, and what lies beneath the surface.
China's consumer spending has shown a noticeable rebound in the first two months of the year. What are the key drivers? Though the performance beat expectations, it remains the weakest start to a year since 2000, excluding the pandemic slump. How much of a concern is this against the backdrop of still-fragile consumer confidence and broader economic headwinds? And as the rise of the "emotional economy" comes into focus, what should policymakers, investors and businesses do to adapt to these new trends?
Host Tu Yun joins John Gong, Professor of Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Subramania Bhatt, the Founder and CEO of the Singapore-based marketing technology company China Trading Desk, and Chen Jiahe, the Chief Investment Officer of the Beijing-based Novem Arcae Technologies to find out the answers.
Apple is lowering its App Store commission in China, a move believed to be a major concession in one of its most important markets. What's driving the change? How may it affect developers, consumers, and Apple's business model in the country? And could this signal a broader shift in the balance of power between regulators and Big Tech?
Host TU Yun joins Professor Doug Guthrie, the Director of China Initiatives at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Professor Liu Baocheng, the Director of the Center for International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics, and Professor Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, the Queensland University of Technology for a close look.
Global financial giant UBS has downgraded U.S. stocks, as markets stumble into one of their worst starts in decades. Is this a routine reset or a warning shot? Where is capital moving now? Are emerging markets the real story? And with geopolitics heating up and the Fed in play, is this a short-term wobble or the start of a structural shift in global capital?
Host Tu Yun joins Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, Li Lun, Assistant Professor of Economics, Peking University, and Chen Jiahe, the Chief Investment Officer of the Beijing-based Novem Arcae Technologies for a close look.
China will set up a national-level mergers and acquisitions fund to help venture capital investors find an exit. How urgent is the need? And with cumulative dividends and share buybacks hitting a record high, what does that signal about the reshaping of China’s securities market?
Host TU Yun joins Yao Shujie, Chueng Kong Professor of Economics, Chongqing University, John Gong, Professor of Economics, University of International Business and Economics, and Einar Tangen, a senior fellow of the Canadian think tank, the Center for International Governance Innovation, and the Chairman at Asia Narratives for a close look.
For the first time, the Global Governance Initiative, a framework for reforming international relations, is set to feature in the recommendations for China’s new Five-Year Plan.
This comes as national lawmakers and political advisors prepare to gather in Beijing for the annual “Two Sessions” in the coming days.
GGI emphasizes sovereign equality, international law, and multilateralism. It prioritizes the Global South, focusing on true multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and tangible results. What does “people-centered” actually mean for communities in the Global South?
Host Xu Yawen is joined by Özgür Altınbaş, Chief of the Foreign News Service at Aydinlik in Türkiye, and Muhammad Zamir Assadi, Director at the China Desk of Lord Media Network in Pakistan, to explore how these ideas translate into everyday impact around the world.
Chicago-based financial services company CME Group is reportedly working on a plan to launch the world's first rare earth futures contract. Can the U.S. reshape pricing power without controlling production? What countermove may Beijing take? Will China's dominance in price-setting be diluted? And are we expecting a bifurcated system in the global mineral sector?
Host Tu Yun joins Professor Andy Mok of Beijing Foreign Studies University, who's also a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, Professor Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and John Gong, Professor of Economics, at the University of International Business and Economics to unpack the high-stakes battle over minerals, markets, and geopolitical leverage.
This Spring Festival, China isn't just welcoming the Year of the Horse. It's welcoming the world. Foreign flight bookings are up more than 400 percent, with visitors flooding in from Russia, Europe, and even Argentina. Why now? What's driving this surge? Visas, social media, or something deeper? And as more foreigners come to China to experience the holiday, is Spring Festival becoming a global cultural event.
Host Tu Yun joins Helen Han, Co-founder and Secretary General, the Beijing Club for International Dialogue, Dr. Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow, the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, and Mike Bastin, China observer and Senior Lecturer, the University of Southampton to break down the boom and what it means for China and for travelers from around the world.
Sleek, flush, futuristic--hidden door handles once symbolized the EV era. Now, they're being flagged as safety risks. China is set to ban them, becoming the first country in the world to do so. What triggered the move? How will it affect automakers? Will the impact stop at car design, or ripple into global standards?
Host Tu Yun is joined by Professor Yan Liang, Professor of Economics, Willamette University, the United States, Professor Andy Mok of Beijing Foreign Studies University, who's also a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, and Professor Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Australia for a chat.
The world seems to be experiencing a split. While Europe and the U.S. work to bring inflation down, China is grappling with a different problem, persistently weak prices. What's going on? Why do low prices worry Beijing? How are policymakers aiming for a "reasonable" rebound? And can the goal be achieved without creating new risks at home or abroad?
Host Tu Yun is joined by Professor Liu Baocheng, the Director of the Center for International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics, Dr Sean Chang, Associate Professor of Practice in Finance, the University of Hong Kong, and Professor Doug Guthrie, the Director of China Initiatives at the Thunderbird School of Global Management for a close look.
What does it mean to "become Chinese," and why are people saying it online? From TikTok to X, the phrase is going viral. Is it cultural admiration, social commentary, or a search for alternatives?
Host Tu Yun is joined by Dr. Qu Qiang, a professor and fellow of the Belt and Road Research Center at Minzu University of China, Dr. Warwick Powell, an adjunct professor of the Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and Harvey Dzodin, a Senior Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization to explore the forces behind this unexpected trend and what it reveals about a changing world.
A fatal shooting in Minnesota has reopened some of America's deepest wounds. Renee Good, a poet, a mother, a guitarist, was killed during a federal immigration operation, just blocks from where George Floyd died. The fallout has sparked nationwide protests, fierce political debate, and new questions about ICE, accountability, and power. What happened and where could this moment take the United States next?
Host TU Yun joins Dr. Yan Liang, Professor of Economics, Willamette University, Dr. Edward Lehman, Founder and Managing Director of the China-based law firm Lehman, Lee & Xu, and Dr. Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations, East China Normal University for a chat.
Recently, the term “U.S. death line” has been trending across Chinese social media. Originally a term from the gaming world, it’s now being used to describe the financial fragility haunting everyday Americans. Why are so many people in the U.S. just one crisis away from poverty? What does it tell us about the deep-seated institutional gaps in the country’s social safety net? Host Xu Yawen joins Prof. Li Lun, Assistant Professor of Economics at Peking University, and Prof. Josef Gregory Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University, for a chat.
With rapid advancements in technology, what challenges and opportunities lie ahead for global semiconductor companies operating in China? As China steps up its efforts to boost quality consumption, how are global consumer brands adapting to this shift in demand? In this special edition, host Xu Yawen speaks with Marcus Kneifel, Senior Vice President of Systems Engineering at onsemi, and Willie Tan, CEO of Skechers China, South Korea and Southeast Asia, a global leader in lifestyle footwear and apparel. Together, the two industry leaders explore the strategies their companies are adopting in response to China’s quality consumption upgrades and technological transformation, positioning themselves for a competitive edge in the market.
As China shifts to a greener development mode, how may a multinational company adapt to the ever-changing market? As healthy living rises on China’s agenda, what new business opportunities are taking shape? In this special edition, host TU Yun talk to Frank Hammes, Global CEO of IQAir, the Swiss multinational known for its cutting-edge air purification and monitoring technology, and Roger Chen, the Managing Director-China of CLP Holdings, one of the oldest and largest power companies in the Asia-Pacific region and check out how they align with the country’s greener and healthier future for better business prospects.
Washington has just reversed course again. It is now allowing Nvidia to sell its advanced H200 AI chips to China, with a hefty 25% revenue cut flowing straight to the U.S. government. Is this a strategic concession, a commercial calculation, or the start of a new conditional export model? Will Chinese tech giants rush to buy the H200? Can Washington achieve its intended goals with the policy shift? And will this prompt other governments or companies to reconsider their own restrictions on tech exports to China?
Host Tu Yun joins Andy Mok, a professor of Beijing Foreign Studies University and a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, Dr. Zhou Mi, the Deputy Director of the Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, and Dr. Warwick Powell, an adjunct professor of the Queensland University of Technology for a chat.
China's new rule to seal public-security violation records is being hailed as historic, yet nothing has stirred more controversy than the plan to seal drug-use records. Why this issue? How justified are the public's concerns? And with millions speaking out online, could public pressure reshape how the rule is ultimately implemented? Or, if not, what can be done to reduce potential risks?
Host TU Yun joins Mr. Bai Xianyue, Partner of Grandall Law Firm Tianjn Office, Professor Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations, East China Normal University and Professor Qu Qiang, Fellow, Belt and Road Research Center, Minzu University of China for a chat.
India has fully restored global visa services for Chinese travelers. What's behind the policy change? Can they realistically expect a quick rebound in Chinese tourist numbers? What are the biggest factors holding Chinese travelers back? And could this full restoration of visas become a genuine turning point in China–India relations?
Host TU Yun joins Professor Zhang Wenjuan of Jindal Global Law School, India, Subramania Bhatt, Founder and CEO, China Trading Desk, and Gao Xirui, a Political Science PhD candidate, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Hong Kong for a chat.
Tesla is accelerating its shift away from components made in China. It's pushing suppliers to eliminate China-made auto parts for cars built in the United States within the next year or two. Is this strategy due to political pressure from Washington, or is it preparation for a more aggressive trade environment? Is the change even possible? How could this reshape Tesla's business in China, where the company has long enjoyed policy support and unmatched efficiency? And how may this push for de-Sinicization affect U.S. automakers' global edge?
Host TU Yun joins Yan Liang, Professor of Economics, Willamette University, Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, and Joseph Siracusa, Professor of Global Futures, Curtin University for a closer look.
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