Sinopinion

Recently, the major military strike launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, along with its ensuing repercussions, has sent shockwaves around the world. In this episode of the Sinopinion podcast, our host Prof. Da Wei, director of CISS and co-host Prof. Shao Yuqun, director of the Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macao Studies at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, sit down with two distinguished guests, Prof. Wu Bingbing, director of Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Peking University, and Prof. Zhang Chuchu, deputy director at Fudan University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies, for an in-depth conversation. The four scholars delve into and exchange views on critical issues, including the strategic objectives of the U.S. military action, the reconstruction of the regional order in the Middle East, China's position and role, and the potential shifts in U.S.-China relations.

Over the past decade, Confucius Institutes have consistently remained a focal point in international discussions concerning China’s global influence. While these institutes are dedicated to promoting Chinese language teaching and enhancing China's soft power, they have also been perceived by many Western countries as instruments for exporting the "China Model," finding themselves in a challenging environment. In this episode, Prof. Da Wei, Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, sits down with Prof. Michael Jinghan Zeng from the Department of Public and International Affairs at City University of Hong Kong, who is also the former director of the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University, to discuss his new book, Memoirs of a Confucius Institute Director, Volume 1: Challenges, Controversies, and Realities. Professor Zeng shares his firsthand experiences and observations of Confucius Institutes, offering an in-depth discussion on their operational mechanisms, internal and external pressures, requirements for localization, and pathways for survival and development.

Against a backdrop of mounting uncertainty in global politics and economics, the World Economic Forum in Davos once again provided a revealing lens into an international order in flux. This episode of Sinopinion is co-hosted by Da Wei, Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, and Shao Yuqun, Director of the Institute of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. They are joined by Zhao Hai, Director of the Department of International Political Studies at the National Institute for Global Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Drawing on first-hand observations from Davos, the three scholars explore whether the world has already entered a new international order, or whether it remains in a transitional phase, and what these evolving dynamics mean from China’s perspective.

One year into Donald Trump’s return to the White House, U.S. policy has taken a dramatic(?) turn. From abrupt moves in Venezuela and strains with traditional allies to an unexpected steadiness in U.S.-China relations, the Trump administration’s approach continues to reshape global dynamics. How do Chinese experts assess this eventful year? What opportunities and challenges does America’s shifting posture create for China and the world at large?

In this episode of Sinopinion produced by CISS, Tsinghua University, our host Prof. Da Wei, Director of CISS and co-host Prof. Shao Yuqun, director of the Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macao Studies at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies,
sit down with Senior Colonel (Ret.) Zhou Bo, and offer a multi-dimensional Chinese perspective on Trump’s foreign policy. Together, they explore topics such as whether the U.S. is truly in retrenchment, how China is navigating a more polarized world, and what the coming year may hold for great-power relations.

In recent years, China has become increasingly prominent in global affairs, yet its narratives and perspectives remains somewhat peripheral in international discourse. In this episode, the China Forum of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) Tsinghua University invites Mr. Wang Zichen, Director of International Communications at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and editor of the widely-read newsletter “Pekingnology,” to share his on-the-ground experience and insights on cross-cultural communication. He will explore: Why does China’s narrative remain marginalized abroad? How has his storytelling evolved from his time in official media to his current role in think tanks? How can China’s voice not only be heard but also substantially debated in a Western-led discursive environment? And what guidance does he offer the younger generation navigating today’s complex global discourse?