Rephonic
Artwork for Pekingology
China
U.s.-China Relations
Xi Jinping
Chinese Communist Party
Taiwan
Belt and Road Initiative
Uyghur Genocide
Human Rights In China
Anti-Asian Hate Crime
National Defense Authorization Act
Bipartisanship
China's Economic Policies
Political Economy
Us-China Relations
World Trade Organization
APEC
Global Economy
State Capitalism
Mercator Institute For China Studies
US Sanctions

China is one of the 21st century’s most consequential nations, and it has never been more important to understand how the country is governed. Pekingology is the podcast that unpacks Chinese politics, the inner workings of the Communist Party, and how China's domestic and foreign policy will impact the world. Pekingology is hosted by Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the Freeman Chair in China S... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes136Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Artwork for Pekingology

Latest Episodes

In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Ben Hillman, Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World at Australian National University and co-editor of the new book, The Communist Party of China: Unders... more

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In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Neil Thomas, Fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. They discuss the significance of China's recent "Two Sessions," ... more

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In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Zoe Liu, Fellow in China Studies with the Council on Foreign Relations. They discuss Zoe’s new Foreign Affairs piece, China’s Long Economic War: How Beijing Builds Levera... more

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In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Charlie Edel, Senior Adviser and Australia Chair at CSIS. Charlie unpacks China’s strategy towards Australia, an influential, democratic middle power that maintains stron... more

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Recent Guests

Neil Thomas
Fellow on Chinese Politics with the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis
Asia Society Policy Institute
Episode: Decoding China's Two Sessions: Politics, Purges, and a New Five Year Plan
Zoe Liu
Fellow for China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations; author of China's Long Economic War
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: Understanding Chinese Power
Charlie Edel
Senior Advisor and Australia Chair at CSIS
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Episode: Can China Sway Australia?
Francisco Urdinez
Associate professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and author of Economic Displacement.
Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Episode: China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
Sabine Mokry
Researcher with the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy in Hamburg and author of the book, 'Chinese Scholars and Think Tanks' Construction of China's National Interest'
Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy
Episode: How Experts Shape Chinese Foreign Policy
Paul Mariani
Professor at Santa Clara University and author of 'China's Church Divided,' a book on the post-Mao Catholic revival in China.
Santa Clara University
Episode: China's Church Divided
Dr. Pip O'Keefe
Professor of Practice at the University of New South Wales, Center for Population Aging Research
University of New South Wales
Episode: China's Demographic Dilemma
Cobus van Staden
Managing editor with the China Global South Project and host of the China in Africa podcast.
China Global South Project
Episode: China's Africa Strategy
Ning Leng
Assistant Professor of Political Science at Georgetown University, Wilson Center China Fellow, and author of Politicizing Business.
Georgetown University
Episode: How Firms Serve the Party-State

Host

Henrietta Levin
Host of Pekingology

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 383 ratings
  • Humble and informative

    Easily the best podcast on China, with incredibly clever guests who really care about their subjects and a hostess who concentrates on making her guests shine, rather than showing how smart and fancy she is (even though she is both these things). There are many flashes of humour instead of the dreary self serving seriousness, and the production team work to have a smorgasbord of topics, including historical. And with many international guests. Recommended for anyone that wants to understand mode... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hu Li Jing
    Germanya month ago
  • Very informative podcast on Summit

    I thought that the recent episode with Sarah Beren was really excellent. Her explanation of the behind-the-scenes maneuverings to organize these summits was really well informed and illuminating.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sueju
    United States5 months ago
  • US Government Propaganda

    Absolutely a propaganda. Most people don’t know that CSIS receives substantial amounts of of money from Taiwan, so its position and view on China is very tainted and biased. This is not an independent think-tank but a government manipulated fake think-tank.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    txxa007
    United States9 months ago
  • Please fix your sound

    That’s it.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    chevychase84
    Australiaa year ago
  • I lived in China 2016-21

    It’s amusing to hear your guest talk about Trump perceiving himself as a “king” when Xi is the lone dictator-king of China. And the “expansion” by the US is also amusing when China is expanding throughout the adjacent seas to the Mainland and beyond, as well as economically colonizing countries in Africa and Central and South America. Ask the Philippines, Japan and Vietnam how they feel about incursions by China into waters of those countries. Moreover, when I was in China it was common know tha... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amdyfyn
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests are high-caliber scholars and practitioners offering broad perspectives.
Production quality and guest diversity are generally strong, though some listeners crave more accessible framing for broader audiences.
Insightful deep-dives into China's power dynamics and policy choices.
Few listeners value concise questioning and clearer context in episode notes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#34
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#14
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#23
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#6
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#7
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#8
Australia/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Decoding China's Two Sessions: Politics, Purges, and a New Five Year Plan
Q: Well, while we're talking about some of the key players and people in this political environment, I would be interested in your thoughts in what we can learn about the state of elite politics from observing the two sessions, especially regarding purges and personnel dynamics.
The two sessions reveal limited public insight into personnel shifts, with notable purges in the PLA and among top leaders, suggesting a calculated effort to reorganize elite networks. The evidence points to Xi consolidating power through targeted removals and strategic promotions, while maintaining opacity about the true inner circle.
Decoding China's Two Sessions: Politics, Purges, and a New Five Year Plan
Q: Most significantly, though, feel free to disagree. I would assume the new five-year plan would be at the top of that list. So, tell us about the five-year plan and where do you see continuity with the prior plan, continuity with what we all basically expected?
Continuity is the key theme; the 15th plan continues Xi's trajectory toward high-quality development, with a heavy focus on tech self-reliance, AI integration, and structural rebalancing. Implementation is the challenge this time, as the plan leans on anti-corruption and cadre discipline to actually deliver on targets.
China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
Q: To what degree do you see Latin American governments setting the terms of their own engagement with Beijing?
Francisco emphasizes that Latin American countries are not passive recipients of Chinese influence but are independent actors negotiating their interests.
China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
Q: How did you become the guy who writes books about China's displacement of the US in Latin America?
Francisco discusses his educational background and experiences living in Brazil during the commodity boom, leading to an interest in China's growing economic presence.
How Experts Shape Chinese Foreign Policy
Q: How do you assess whether you're looking at a scholar publish an idea that then gets integrated into policy, or whether you're looking at the party having reached out to a scholar?
Mokry explains her methodology of reviewing publicly available resources to trace the influence of expert ideas on policy changes, acknowledging that influence can be bidirectional.

Audience Metrics

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

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Gender Skew
Location
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pekingology

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

A policy-forward exploration of China's politics, security, and global strategy, with a focus on how the Communist Party governs, how policy is made, and how China engages the world. Episodes frequently analyze Xi-era governance, civil-military dynamics, demographic and economic reform, and Beijing's leverage in global diplomacy, trade, and development finance. Notable traits include rigorous academic framing, access to leading China scholars and former policymakers, and a willingness to unpack complex topics (like think-tank influence, party-state signaling, and external partnerships) in a way that helps decision-makers assess risks and opportunities for business and government partners.

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Which podcasts are similar to Pekingology?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Pekingology:

1. ChinaPower
2. The Asia Chessboard
3. Sinica Podcast
4. The Foreign Affairs Interview
5. ChinaTalk

How many episodes of Pekingology are there?

Pekingology launched 6 years ago and published 136 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 Pekingology?

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What guests have appeared on Pekingology?

Recent guests on Pekingology include:

1. Neil Thomas
2. Zoe Liu
3. Charlie Edel
4. Francisco Urdinez
5. Sabine Mokry
6. Paul Mariani
7. Dr. Pip O'Keefe
8. Cobus van Staden

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.

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