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5 China-related Podcast Episodes for Your Summer Listening


Last week I offered some suggestions for summer reading. Brent did as well. In addition to reading, though, some of us enjoy listening to podcasts while we relax, exercise, or even drive.

Herewith, then, is my list of suggested podcast episodes for your consideration as you head into the second half of summer. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

1. How To Make Friends And Influence People: Inside the Magic Weapon of the United Front (Little Red Podcast)

Much has been written in the past few months about the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department. However, not a whole lot is known about it and how it operates. This podcast episode is very eye-opening!

The Communist Party’s shadowy United Front Work Department has emerged stronger than ever before after the most recent government reshuffle. This body, whose job has historically been to win hearts and minds among the Party’s opponents, is now also responsible for all work related to ethnic minority groups, religious management and contact with overseas Chinese. But exactly how does the United Front Work Department gain support for China abroad? In this episode, Graeme is joined by Gerry Groot from the University of Adelaide, who demystifies the inner workings of the body dubbed a Magic Weapon by Xi Jinping.

2.  CHP-205-ING “DOC” HAY, LUNG ON AND THE KAM WAH CHUNG (July 20, 2018, China History Podcast)

Any of Laszlo Montgomery’s podcasts are worth listening to, but this one was especially interesting, telling a story of the Chinese immigrant community in Eastern Oregon:

This is the story of Ing “Doc” Hay and his closest friend and business partner Long On, two Toi Son immigrants who built their American dream on the frontier. Ing Hay was a trained Chinese herbal doctor and pulsologist and he brought this unique skill to the American West. This isn’t your typical American immigrant story but then again, Ing Hay and Long On weren’t your typical immigrants.

3. Soul of a Superpower – Ian Johnson and Richard Madsen (China 21, UC San Diego)

If you have read Ian Johnson’s book The Souls of China: The Revival of Religion After Mao (and you should), then you’ll definitely enjoy this podcast.
 

Ian Johnson joins Richard Madsen to discusses how today’s Chinese Communist Party is striving for a national set of values, and how ordinary Chinese are seeking for deeper meaning in their lives, and the lessons for the rest of the world in this global populist moment.

4. Where Does Africa Fit in Xi Jinping's Worldview? (July 23, 2018, The China Africa Project)

Xi Jinping has been visiting various African nations this summer. In September, leaders of African nations will head to Beijing for the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). This podcast episode will help you understand what the burgeoning relationship between China and Africa.

The New York-based Council on Foreign Relations' Asia Director, Dr. Elizabeth Economy, also author of the new book The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State, is one of the world's leading experts on Chinese foreign policy and joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the political backdrop surrounding the upcoming Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing.

5. The China That Can Be Understood is not the Real China (July 22, 2018, China Tech Talk)

This podcast episode is a discussion based on the TechNode executive editor’s recent article “The China That Can Be Understood is not the Real China.” It’s an interesting conversation linking technology, entrepreneurialism, and culture.

This week, John and Matt talk about how to understand China from a macro-level, including its role in the world, the different cultural values, and the difficulty in explicating a nuanced understanding of the Middle Kingdom.

Please note that each of the links above are to the individual podcast page on PlayerFM. They are also available on other podcast feeds and players.

If you’re looking for more podcasts to listen to, this page at PlayerFM links to a whole host of China-related podcasts.

Happy Listening!

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Joann Pittman

Joann Pittman

Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio


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