Rephonic
Artwork for China Desk
China
U.s.-China Relations
National Security
Taiwan
United States
Xi Jinping
Human Rights
Covid-19
Chinese Communist Party
Australia
Communist Party Of China
Trade Coercion
U.s.–china Relations
Tiananmen Square
Belt and Road Initiative
Medical Technology
Australian Economy
Chinese Espionage Operations
Apple
Us-China Relations

China Desk is a nonpartisan podcast exploring the critical issues shaping the U.S.–China relationship. Hosted by Steve Yates, former White House national security advisor and president of Radio Free Asia, the show features leading experts, authors, and officials discussing the challenges and opportunities posed by China’s rise. Contact us or recommend a guest at: chinadesk@thefederalnewswire.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes104Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryPoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for China Desk

Latest Episodes

What should the United States realistically expect from high-level diplomacy with China — and where are the real risks in the relationship?

In this episode of The China Desk, host Steve Yates is joined by Andrew Harding, Policy Analyst for National ... more

What happens when someone raised inside China’s education system begins questioning everything they were taught?

In this episode of The China Desk, host Steve Yates sits down with independent China analyst and journalist Terence Shen for a wide-rang... more

After 100 episodes, what has the China Desk revealed about the Chinese Communist Party, U.S. strategy, and the future of global competition?

In this special milestone edition of The China Desk, the roles are reversed. Host Steve Yates becomes the gu... more

Is “China” as we understand it today really a continuous civilization — or a modern political construction?

In this episode of The China Desk, host Steve Yates sits down with Bill Hayton, journalist and author of The Invention of China, to unpack on... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

School of War
School of WarThe Free Press
NatSec Matters
NatSec MattersBeacon Global Strategies LLC
ChinaTalk
ChinaTalkJordan Schneider
ChinaPower
ChinaPowerCSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Recent Guests

Patrick McGee
Author and journalist who reported for the Financial Times, focusing on global technology and supply chain issues.
Financial Times
Episode: Apple, China & the Global Supply Chain: Inside the Hidden Tech Power Struggle
Cleo Paskal
Non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, focusing on the Indo-Pacific region
Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
Episode: China’s Influence in the Pacific Islands: Cleo Paskal on Indo-Pacific Strategy & Taiwan
Leland Miller
Commissioner in the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, and the co-founder and CEO of China Beige Book
China Beige Book
Episode: China’s Economy in 2026: Supply Chains, Tariffs, and the Myth of a Consumption Shift w/Leland Miller
Tiffany Meier
Anchor, China News Investigative Reporter, and Producer for NTD News
NTD News
Episode: How the CCP Shapes Media, Hollywood, and AI — Tiffany Meier on China’s Long Game
Luke de Pulford
Creator and Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China
Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China
Episode: China’s Mega Embassy in London: Security Risks, Five Eyes Tensions, and the Growing Clash With the CCP
Andrew J. Phelan
Australian MedTech entrepreneur and writer with a strong background in international affairs.
Not specified
Episode: Ep. 85 - Andrew J. Phelan
Randy Schriver
Chairman of the board of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security and partner at Pacific Solutions LLC
Episode: Ep. 84 - Randy Schriver & Mike Kuiken
Mike Kuiken
Commissioner on the US-China Economic Security Review Commission and distinguished visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution
Episode: Ep. 84 - Randy Schriver & Mike Kuiken
Sam Cooper
Investigative journalist and author
Episode: Ep. 83 - Sam Cooper

Host

Steve Yates
Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security; Host of the China Desk Podcast; affiliated with Federal Newswire

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 13 ratings
  • China Hawk

    Typical national security establishment anti China scaremongering drivel. If you enjoy hearing how big and bad China is even though it has no relation to reality, this is the pod for you.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    mleung33
    Canada6 months ago
  • Informative

    Highly recommend

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lltravelmel
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great in depth info

    Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    seminoleike
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Others praise the depth and diversity of expert guests and timely topics.
A few comments note the content is rigorous and valuable for decision-makers, though some listeners disagree with the perspectives presented.
Some listeners feel the host's framing is strongly security-focused and may reflect a certain geopolitical stance.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#244
Taiwan/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

China’s Influence in the Pacific Islands: Cleo Paskal on Indo-Pacific Strategy & Taiwan
Q: What can be learned about Oceania and the Pacific Islands?
Paskal explains that Oceania is a vast region, and understanding its significance is crucial for U.S. security interests, particularly in the context of the ongoing challenges from China.
Ep. 74 - Nick Eftimiades
Q: What are the most important steps the US should be taking now?
Eftimiades emphasizes the need for a unified strategy to deal with China, legislative backing for this strategy, and a comprehensive review and reform of current laws.
Ep. 74 - Nick Eftimiades
Q: What did young Nick think he was going to do when he was coming up through the system?
Nicholas Eftimiades originally engaged in martial arts, which sparked his interest in different cultures and led him to East Asian studies.
Ep. 69 - Joel Wuthnow & Phillip Saunders
Q: Joel, what kind of was the origin story of the book, and why now for this particular reading of the script?
Joel explains that there wasn't a comprehensive book on the PLA that covers various aspects of its modernization and strategy, and their aim was to create accessible material for both military professionals and the general public.
Ep. 69 - Joel Wuthnow & Phillip Saunders
Q: Phil, why don't you share a little bit about how did you get pulled into the China field?
Phil discusses his family background in Taiwan, early interest in Chinese culture, and his experiences while working in the Air Force, which solidified his focus on Asian issues and China.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About China Desk

What is China Desk about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program concentrates on the U.S.–China relationship, with a mix of policy analysis, geopolitical context, and expert guest perspectives. Episodes routinely explore tech supply chains, national security, media influence, foreign policy, and regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, often tying current events to long-running strategic narratives. A standout feature is the cadence of high-profile guests—journalists, policy researchers, and former government officials—who bring first-hand reporting, data-driven insights, and policy implications to readers and listeners seeking deeper understanding of China's global role. The format is disciplined, with a focus on actionable implications for policymakers, business leaders, and journalists navi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for China Desk?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for China Desk. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to China Desk and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does China Desk get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for China Desk, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for China Desk?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for China Desk, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does China Desk have?

To see how many followers or subscribers China Desk has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to China Desk?

These podcasts share a similar audience with China Desk:

1. School of War
2. NatSec Matters
3. ChinaTalk
4. ChinaPower
5. War on the Rocks

How many episodes of China Desk are there?

China Desk launched 3 years ago and published 104 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact China Desk?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for China Desk?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for China Desk from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for China Desk?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of China Desk. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on China Desk?

Recent guests on China Desk include:

1. Patrick McGee
2. Cleo Paskal
3. Leland Miller
4. Tiffany Meier
5. Luke de Pulford
6. Andrew J. Phelan
7. Randy Schriver
8. Mike Kuiken

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days