ChinaPower

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Ambassador Edgard Kagan joins us to unpack President Trump’s recent summit with President Xi Jinping. He discusses the contrasting U.S. and Chinese readouts, Beijing’s push for a “constructive relationship of strategic stability,” and the priorities of each side. The conversation examines China’s role in Iran, Taiwan, and what to watch as Trump and Xi prepare for additional meetings later this year. 

Ambassador Edgard Kagan is senior adviser and Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Zhang Chuchu joins us to discuss how China views the war in Iran and what the conflict means for China’s interests and strategy in the Middle East. She explains Chinese concerns about regional spillover, energy security, and the erosion of trust in international negotiations. The conversation also discusses China’s diplomatic approach and what the conflict means for U.S.–China relations and the upcoming Trump–Xi leadership meeting. 

Zhang Chuchu is an associate professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs and deputy director at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Albert Tzeng and Dr. Dennis Weng join us to explore domestic politics in Taiwan, with a particular focus on two key developments related to the Kuomintang (KMT) party, Taiwan’s largest opposition party. We examine the April visit of KMT Chairwomen Cheng Li-wun to China to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and KMT Taichung City Mayor Lu Shiow-yen’s March trip to the United States. We discuss what these trips showcase about Taiwan’s domestic politics, dynamics within the KMT, the KMT’s current stance on Taiwan’s relations with China and the United States, and what implications these trips have ahead of the potential Trump-Xi meeting in May.

Dr. Dennis Wang is Associate Professor and Graduate Director of Political Science at Sam Houston State University. Dr. Albert Tzeng is the founder of the strategic consulting service "Discursive Workshop” and previously served as advisor to two former Chairs of the Kuomintang political party in Taiwan.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Arne Westad joins us to discuss his new book, The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History. He explains why the years leading up to World War I, rather than the Cold War, offer a striking parallel from history for today’s U.S.–China relationship and great power competition. He highlights how mistrust, multipolarity, and unclear strategic aims can fuel miscalculation. The conversation examines how flashpoints such as Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, and India–China tensions could escalate under these conditions, why rapid technological change and weak crisis communication heighten risks, and the steps major powers can take to reduce these dangers.

Arne Westad is an Elihu Professor of History at Yale University. Before joining Yale, he taught at the London School of Economics, where he was School Professor of International History, and at Harvard University, where he was the S.T. Lee Professor of US-Asia Relations.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Robert Greenway joins us to discuss key findings from his new report, TIDALWAVE: Strategic Exploitation and Sustainment in a US–China Conflict. The conversation explores China’s vulnerabilities in fuel and ammunition sustainment and how instability in the Middle East could affect PLA operations. He also discusses the risks associated with the sustainment gaps facing U.S. forces and potential steps Washington and its partners could consider to strengthen their position.
Robert Greenway is the Director of the Allison Center for National Security at The Heritage Foundation.