China

In today’s episode of the Fourcast, our International editor Lindsey Hilsum puts the current flare up between China and Taiwan into context as geopolitics comes to terms with a future where Beijing is King.

We spoke to former CIA Director, General David Petraeus and started with a hypothetical: what the US could and should do if China were to invade Taiwan?

China has said that it will halt dialogue with the United States on major issues from climate change to military matters. 

We spoke to Wen-Ti Sung, an expert on the relationship between the US, China and Taiwan – we began by asking him if the trip is a “reckless” one.

It’s one of China’s largest cities, a powerhouse for its economy and its international face.

Authorities in China have imposed indefinite lockdown restrictions in Shanghai – home to 26 million people – as they battle to control a surge in Covid cases.

Ministers have come under pressure to reverse the multi-million pound sale of a major semiconductor plant in Wales to a company that is reportedly linked to the Chinese communist party.

We spoke to Victor Gao, vice president of the Centre for China and Globalisation in Beijing, who previously worked closely with former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

China has indicated it is willing to give its military support to Russia’s invasion. That’s the claim of American diplomats tonight, despite their attempts to head off any agreement to transfer Chinese weapons. 

When the invasion of Ukraine started, China did not openly condemn it.

Today MI5 accused Chinese lawyer Christine Lee of attempting to covertly influence British politics to the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party. 

What might happen in the world in 2022?

In this episode from August 2021, Jessie Lau talks about whether the #MeToo movement in China can prevail.

One of Hong Kong’s last remaining pro-democracy news sites has been shut down after police raided its offices and arrested senior staff members.

One of Hong Kong’s last remaining public monuments honouring the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre has been removed, after workmen dismantled a statue at Hong Kong University during the night.