How the Mekong River Feeds the U.S., China, & the World
The US-China Podcast
The Mekong River provides millions of people in and beyond with food, water, and agricultural productivity. Twenty percent of the world’s freshwater fish comes from the Mekong River, supplying the shelves of stores across the globe. However, the river system is threatened by and upstream dams. While many countries of the Mekong basin prioritize the health of the river, China places economic growth above those concerns. How can the United States, China, and Lower Mekong River (LMR) countries work together to keep the Mekong healthy? Brian Eyler joins the...
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China & The Hill: China’s Economic Outlook for 2025, Cybersecurity Breaches, and the Quest for Maritime Influence
The US-China Podcast
China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of this week’s most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the . China & the Hill is published by the , the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries.
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The Geopolitics of Fast Fashion: U.S.-China & the World
The US-China Podcast
Fast fashion is possible because of international trade. Each year, the global fashion industry generates more than $4 trillion USD and provides families with affordable clothing options. However, as fast fashion continues to grow, so does awareness of pressing issues such as labor standards and How are the United States and China involved in the global fashion industry? How can they collaborate on the issues facing the global fast fashion industry, from production to consumption Sheng Lu joins the National Committee in an interview recorded in October 11, 2024 to...
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China & the Hill: Critical Mineral Stockpiles, Limiting Chip Sales to China Abroad, and what's new with the Science and Technology Agreement
The US-China Podcast
China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of this week’s most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the . China & the Hill is published by the , the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries. , or
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Divorce in China: Revealing Gender Disparities in China’s Legal System
The US-China Podcast
Although Chinese marriage law states that men and women are equal, implementation of the law in divorce cases reveals gender disparities. In divorce lawsuits, women are often left without remedies for domestic violence and mothers lose custody of their children. Rural women face the additional disadvantage of lacking resources to help them navigate the divorce process. How are gender disparities revealed when women seek divorce in China? Ke Li joins the National Committee in an interview recorded on November 21, 2024 to share her research into the processes and challenges rural...
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China & the Hill: U.S. TikTok Ban, China's Rare Earth Dominance, "Salt Typhoon" Telecom Hacks
The US-China Podcast
China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of this week’s most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the . China & the Hill is published by the , the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries. , or
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China & The Hill: Supply Chain Tensions, The U.S.-China Tech and AI Race, Prisoner Swap, and Other News from D.C.
The US-China Podcast
China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of this week’s most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the . China & the Hill is published by the , the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries. , or
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Conserving China’s Wilderness
The US-China Podcast
In a nation famous for its megacities, it’s hard to grasp that China is the world’s third most biodiverse country and 42% uninhabited wilderness. Yet protecting wild Chinese flora and fauna is crucial to preserving a healthy climate. How does China interact with the wilderness on their doorstep, and how are conservation efforts bridging the gap between man and nature? In an interview recorded on February 28, 2024, conservationist Kyle Obermann joins us for Earth Month to share his experiences documenting China’s little-known wild places. Follow Kyle Obermann...
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China’s Defense Spending – The $700 Billion Distraction
The US-China Podcast
As tensions continue to mount in the U.S.-China relationship, concerns have grown among U.S. political and military leaders regarding , which is often said to be significantly higher than it actually is. In a new report, M. Taylor Fravel, George Gilboy, and Eric Heginbotham argue that the estimate that China’s military spending has surged to $700 billion depends on flawed assumptions and miscalculations. The claim has gained traction in various circles, including in the U.S. Congress and the media, where some suggest China’s military budget is comparable to that of the United States. In...
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Fentanyl and U.S.-China Relations in 2024
The US-China Podcast
The fentanyl crisis is a serious public health and security issue, particularly in the United States, with its high number of overdose deaths. Chinese entities play a significant role in the , from chemical precursors to money laundering. While efforts to regulate production in China have been inconsistent, Beijing’s recent move to restrict fentanyl-related chemicals, after years of U.S. pressure, shows potential cooperation ahead of the U.S. election. In an interview conducted on October 8, 2024, Zongyuan Zoe Liu and Rick Waters, in conversation...
info_outlineIn 1996, when Peter Hessler first went to China to teach, almost all of his students were first-generation college students. Most came from large rural families, and their parents, subsistence farmers, could offer little guidance as their children entered a new world. By 2019, when Mr. Hessler arrived at Sichuan University, he found a very different China, as well as a new kind of student – an only child whose schooling was the object of intense focus from a much more ambitious cohort of parents.
China’s education system offers a means of examining the country’s past, present, and future. At a time when anti-Chinese rhetoric in America has grown intense, Other Rivers is a work of empathy that shows us China from the inside out and the bottom up.
In an interview conducted on August 6, 2024, Peter Hessler, in conversation with Lenora Chu, looks at Chinese education as a way to understand both China and the United States.
About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/peter-hessler-other-rivers/
Follow Peter Hessler on X: @peterhessler
Follow Lenora Chu on X: @LenoraChu
Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).