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Sinica Podcast

Kaiser Kuo
China
U.s.-China Relations
Us-China Relations
United States
Taiwan
Artificial Intelligence
International Relations
Xi Jinping
Electric Vehicles
Cultural Exchange
Covid-19
Chinese Economy
Cultural Revolution
Russia
Economic Policy
Global South
Trade War
National Security
Ukraine
Globalization

A weekly discussion of current affairs in China with journalists, writers, academics, policymakers, business people and anyone with something compelling to say about the country that's reshaping the world. Hosted by Kaiser Kuo.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes558Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsBusinessNews

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Artwork for Sinica Podcast

Latest Episodes

This week on Sinica, I sit down with the writer Pallavi Aiyar — at her own dining table in Beijing, where in recent months I’ve been the lucky beneficiary of her and her husband Julio’s legendary hospitality. Pallavi first arrived in Beijing in 2002 ... more

This week on Sinica, I welcome back Evan Osnos of The New Yorker, whose marvelous new essay, “The Future, Made in China,” chronicles a tech-focused return trip to Beijing, where he lived from 2005 to 2013 — first for the Chicago Tribune, then as The ... more

This week on Sinica, a rare treat: an in-person recording from Beijing with two dear friends who happen to be two of the very best in the business on technology and China — Samm Sacks and Paul Triolo, fresh off the exhibition floor of the World Artif... more

This week on Sinica, in a special episode recorded at the Davos On Air booth at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, I sat down with Angela Huyue Zhang, professor of law at USC's Gould School of Law and author of ... more

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Recent Guests

Evan Osnos
Writer for The New Yorker; author
The New Yorker
Episode: The Future, Made in China: Evan Osnos on America's Reckoning
Samm Sacks
Former Senior Fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center, non-resident Senior Fellow at the ACF, Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins SAIS
Johns Hopkins SAIS; Yale Law School; New America
Episode: Samm Sacks and Paul Triolo on WAIC 2026, Xi's AI Speech, and Kimi K3
Angela Zhang
Professor of Law at the University of Southern California; author
University of Southern California
Episode: The Platform State: Angela Zhang and Alex Yang on How China Really Governs Its Economy
Alex Yang
Professor of Management Science and Operations at London Business School; studies platforms
London Business School
Episode: The Platform State: Angela Zhang and Alex Yang on How China Really Governs Its Economy
Xue Lan
Dean of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University; Director of Tsinghua's Institute for AI International Governance; Cheung Kong Distinguished Chair Professor
Tsinghua University
Episode: Agile Governance: Tsinghua's Xue Lan on How China Regulates What It Can't Fully Predict
Adam Tooze
Economic historian at Columbia University, Director of the European Institute
Columbia University
Episode: China Shock 2.0: This Time It's Europe, with Adam Tooze
Robert Wright
Writer and thinker known for The Moral Animal and Nonzero
Author, Nonzero; The God Test (Book)
Episode: "But China!": Robert Wright on the AI Race and Our Coming Cosmic Reckoning
Eddie Conger
Founder, superintendent, and CEO of International Leadership of Texas (IL Texas)
International Leadership of Texas (IL Texas)
Episode: The Texas Paradox: How the Most Anti-China State Is Building America's China Capacity
David Firestein
Inaugural president and CEO of the George HW. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations
George HW Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations
Episode: The Texas Paradox: How the Most Anti-China State Is Building America's China Capacity

Host

Kaiser Kuo
Host of the show focusing on China's tech, policy, and geopolitics; bridge between Western and Chinese perspectives.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings
  • Not the same without Jeremy

    Sadly, this show has grown a long way from its roots as the best“local” China podcast… to become essentially a show about geopolitics aimed an audience that might consider Ezra Klein to be an “intellectual” 🥱

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    RA1815
    United States2 months ago
  • Panda Hugging Fest

    This show still represents view points rarely heard in main stream media but Kaiser doesn’t even pretend to be balanced anymore. He’s pro-China on all issues all the time. As such, he’s lost objectivity and his views of what Chinese people are truly thinking can no longer be counted on. He gets 4 stars for being different.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Ronnie11111
    United States2 months ago
  • Awesome show!

    Really glad your podcast is still around and kicking- hopefully for a long time to come! Thanks for bringing some balance to very biased political views. Jiayoh!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ChenL1998
    United States3 months ago
  • More light, less heat

    I only recently discovered Sinica podcast, but it has quickly become indispensable to my media consumption regimen. Kaiser purports to offer “more light and less heat”in thinking about China today, and he delivers on that promise. His perspectives and interviews are a tonic offering relief from the hype and groupthink that so often typifies European and American engagement with China. As an academic who specializes in the study of early China but, being employed at a public university, whose tea... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Andy Seth Meyer
    United States4 months ago
  • Lib-chamber

    Not all that surprising given how much high esteem the host holds for neocons/neolibs like Ezra Klein and Fareed Zakaria, but still embarrassing to hear his level of ignorance of US foreign conducts since WWII.

    I wouldn’t be surprised that Bessner was rolling his eyes inside given his bluntness on his own show.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Crystalash
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests bring diverse, credible perspectives on China policy and tech.
High-quality, research-based discussions that cut through hype.
The host offers balanced, thoughtful interviews with deep expertise.
Some listeners feel recent episodes lean more geopolitical and less balanced.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#212
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#116
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#222
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#249
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#21
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#133
Italy/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Platform State: Angela Zhang and Alex Yang on How China Really Governs Its Economy
Q: How does the platform-state model explain China's ability to both innovate and scale?
By embedding itself into the system through interfaces and standards, the state reduces information frictions, coordinates incentives, and uses a mix of subsidies and policy tools to widen participation (growth) while carefully shaping governance and protections (guard) to sustain long-term competitiveness and stability.
The Platform State: Angela Zhang and Alex Yang on How China Really Governs Its Economy
Q: What is the core idea of viewing the Chinese state as a platform?
The core idea is that the government acts like a platform company that creates the ecosystem, sets interfaces and standards, and coordinates a wide network of private actors. It grows the market, governs interactions, and guards core capabilities to ensure that the ecosystem remains open enough to spur rapid competition but closed enough to protect strategic assets.
Agile Governance: Tsinghua's Xue Lan on How China Regulates What It Can't Fully Predict
Q: What makes agile governance different from light-touch regulation or full deregulation?
Agile governance integrates thoughtful regulation with speed by adopting a mindset shift, ongoing learning, and collaborative regulation; it moves away from adversarial regulator-entrepreneur dynamics toward a partnership, and uses lighter-touch tools complemented by cautious guardrails.
Agile Governance: Tsinghua's Xue Lan on How China Regulates What It Can't Fully Predict
Q: Walk us through how a new technology gets governed here, from emergence to effective rules, and perhaps cite an example.
The process combines rapid, iterative governance with pilot zones and regulator-learner collaboration, using modular rules and case-by-case updates rather than relying solely on comprehensive, long-form laws; example discussions center on AI regulation after initial warnings, quick updates, and adaptive measures.
China Shock 2.0: This Time It's Europe, with Adam Tooze
Q: How does Europe's current policy framework risk misreading China's incentives and the broader global context?
The guest warns against misreading China's subsidies and development strategy as mere unfairness, urging Europe to base policy on an understanding of China as a developmental state with strategic goals, which would help in crafting more stable, long-term arrangements rather than episodic backlash.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sinica Podcast

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

A thoughtful, long-form discussion series focused on China's political economy, technology leadership, regulation, and global stance. Episodes frequently center on US–China tech competition, AI governance, platform-state concepts, and broader geopolitical dynamics, often featuring scholars, policymakers, and industry experts. The host steers conversations toward nuance, balancing technical detail with policy implications, and frequently contrasts Western and Chinese approaches to governance, innovation, and global collaboration. Noteworthy traits include a consistent emphasis on governance frameworks, cross-border data, and realpolitik considerations, making it valuable for listeners who want depth, credibility, and diverse expert perspecti... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Sinica Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sinica Podcast:

1. Pekingology
2. ChinaTalk
3. ChinaPower
4. Ones and Tooze
5. The Foreign Affairs Interview

How many episodes of Sinica Podcast are there?

Sinica Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 558 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Sinica Podcast?

Recent guests on Sinica Podcast include:

1. Evan Osnos
2. Samm Sacks
3. Angela Zhang
4. Alex Yang
5. Xue Lan
6. Adam Tooze
7. Robert Wright
8. Eddie Conger

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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