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Pekingology

Pekingology

Center for Strategic and International Studies 141 Episodes Aug 20, 2026

Pekingology is a podcast that unpacks Chinese politics, the inner workings of the Communist Party, and how China's domestic and foreign policy will impact the world. Hosted by Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, the show provides expert analysis on one of the 21st century's most consequential nations. Produced by Gina Kim, it offers insights into China's governance and global influence.

Episodes

China’s Struggle for Influence in Central Asia 
China’s Struggle for Influence in Central Asia  Aug 20, 2026 2885 Founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and key Central Asian states, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) marks its 25th anniversary this year. With Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to attend the SCO Leaders' Summit in Kyrgyzstan later this month, the organization has become an increasingly important platform for advancing Beijing's vision of a multipolar international order as China's econ
Inside China's Dual Economy
Inside China's Dual Economy Aug 6, 2026 2506 China is generating groundbreaking advances in electric vehicles, battery technology, applied artificial intelligence, and industrial robotics. Yet Chinese households are facing stagnant wages, consumption is weak, and public confidence in the economy appears to be declining. In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Alicia García-Herrero, a leading expert on
Embodied AI and the Transformation of China’s Robotics Industry
Embodied AI and the Transformation of China’s Robotics Industry Jul 23, 2026 2081 China is rapidly emerging as a global leader in robotics and embodied artificial intelligence, leveraging its manufacturing scale and deep supply chains to shape the future of automation. In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Wendy Chang, Senior Analyst at MERICS, to unpack the significant advances – and limitations – of China’s robotics sector and it
Avoiding War in the South China Sea
Avoiding War in the South China Sea Jul 9, 2026 2953 Ten years after an international tribunal found the vast majority of China’s claims in the South China Sea to be unlawful, the risk of conflict in this vital global throughway remains stubbornly high. This week on Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Greg Poling, Director and Senior Fellow of the CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and Southeast A
China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy
China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy Jun 25, 2026 2611 As a global power, China faces a growing tension between its ambitions to reshape the international order and its disinterest in bearing the costs of upholding that new system. In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Sam Chetwin George, Senior Fellow at the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.–China Relations and Research Fellow at China Heritage, to explore Beijin
Inside the China-Russia Partnership
Inside the China-Russia Partnership Jun 11, 2026 2525 China and Russia have transformed a historically fraught relationship into one of the most consequential strategic partnerships in the world. This week on Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Alexander Gabuev, a leading expert on China-Russia ties and director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. They examine how Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have deepened their bilateral
Can China Control North Korea?
Can China Control North Korea? May 28, 2026 2302 In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Adam Farrar, who previously served as Special Advisor to the Vice President for the Indo-Pacific, Space, and Intelligence as well as Director for the Korean Peninsula and Mongolia at the White House National Security Council. Adam is currently a Senior Geoeconomics Analyst at Bloomberg and Non-Resident Senior Associate
BONUS POD: Trump and Xi Meet in China
BONUS POD: Trump and Xi Meet in China May 15, 2026 2629 In this bonus episode of Pekingology, host Henrietta Levin is joined by Jon Czin to discuss the May 14-15 summit between President Trump and President Xi in Beijing. Henrietta and Jon unpack the personal relationship between Trump and Xi, as well as the full range of issues on the bilateral agenda - Taiwan, technology, trade, the war in Iran, soybeans, and more. Jon previously served as Director f
How to Win a Summit: China’s Economic and Commercial Leverage
How to Win a Summit: China’s Economic and Commercial Leverage May 14, 2026 2656 In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Philip Luck, Director of the CSIS Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business. Phil was previously the deputy chief economist at the U.S. Department of State. Phil and Henrietta discuss the economic and commercial context for the big summit between President Trump and President Xi in Beijing, what it
China and the Iran War: Beijing's Ambitions in the Middle East
China and the Iran War: Beijing's Ambitions in the Middle East Apr 30, 2026 2353 In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Aaron Glasserman, an expert on China's Middle East strategy and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China. Aaron and Henrietta unpack what China is really trying to achieve in the Middle East, how China is approaching the U.S. war against Iran, and what this all
Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China
Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China Apr 16, 2026 2766 In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Eyck Freymann, a Hoover Fellow at Stanford University and author of the new book, Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China. Eyck unpacks Beijing’s real goals vis-à-vis Taiwan, how Taiwan fits into the Party’s domestic and international ambitions, and how the United States and its allies can manage the bed
How the Chinese Communist Party Stays in Power
How the Chinese Communist Party Stays in Power Apr 2, 2026 2495 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: Understanding the Durability of the World's Most Powerful Political Organization. Ben explains how the Party has managed to stay in power, becoming the worl

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