The China challenge

The China challenge

Author: ECFR July 3, 2026 Duration: 25:26

This week, Mark Leonard speaks to Mike Kuiken, vice chair of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, and Randy Schriver, chair of the commission and former US assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security affairs, about US-China relations in this period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty. 


The war in Iran and Russia’s war against Ukraine are raising questions about the balance between the Indo-Pacific and other global theatres. Together, Mark, Mike and Randy discuss the implications of China’s support for Russia and Iran, competition in emerging technologies such as AI, biotechnology and quantum computing, and whether the United Nations could be an arena for strategic rivalry. How is the conflict in the Middle East affecting America’s Indo-Pacific strategy? How would a crisis over Taiwan impact global semiconductor supply chains? And what do these developments mean for Europe? 


This podcast episode was recorded on April 23rd 2026.


Bookshelf  

Freedom’s forge by Arthur Herman


The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto


Acquired


Wall-e 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Each week, Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes cuts through the noise of global headlines to explore the deeper forces at play. Curated by Mark Leonard, who directs the European Council on Foreign Relations, this ECFR podcast brings together leading thinkers, policymakers, and analysts from across Europe and the wider world. Their conversations move beyond the day's news to debate the underlying policies, strategic ideas, and geopolitical shifts that are actively shaping our future. The focus is consistently on understanding Europe's place in a complex international landscape, examining how it responds to crises and where it can exercise influence. Recognized for its quality with PolicyLab's 2019 award for best podcast on EU politics, this series delivers concise, substantive dialogue that fits into a busy schedule. As part of the EuroPod network, it offers a vital perspective for anyone looking to grasp not just what is happening, but why it matters. Tune in for a regular dose of informed discussion that connects the dots between events, decisions, and their long-term consequences.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes
Podcast Episodes
Ukraine’s winter of pressure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:21
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Jana Kobzova, co-director of ECFR’s European Security programme, to discuss the mounting pressures facing Ukraine as it enters another wartime winter. Despite Ukraine’s success in dis…
The geopolitics of global hunger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:28
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Cary Fowler, founder and president of the Food Security Leadership Council and former US global food security envoy, and Jim O’Brien, ECFR distinguished visiting fellow and former US…
Emergency Room: The AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:10
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Jana Puglierin, senior policy fellow and head of ECFR’s Berlin office, in a World in 30 Minutes Emergency Room episode to discuss the latest in German politics.The AfD’s win in the sm…
Maximum pressure on Iran, round two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:37
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy director of ECFR's Middle East and North Africa programme, to unpack a volatile new chapter in the confrontation between the United States and Iran. After mon…
Can a Ceasefire Survive Israel’s Election? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:15
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Hugh Lovatt, senior policy fellow at ECFR, to unpack a turbulent summer in Israel and the Palestinian territories. While Palestinian factions in Gaza have agreed in principle to decom…
Germany’s second China shock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:58
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Janka Oertel, director of ECFR’s DARE* initiative, and Andrew Small, head of ECFR’s Asia programme, to examine the growing impact of the “China shock 2.0” on Germany and Europe. A new…
Political crisis in Germany [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:00
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Jörg Lau, international correspondent at Die Zeit and Jana Puglierin, head of ECFR’s Berlin office, to explore the political turmoil in Germany ahead of an electoral autumn. Chancello…
Latin America’s new imaginaries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:43
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Adriana Abdenur, a Brazilian policy expert and co-president of the Global Fund for a New Economy, and Jorge Castañeda, former foreign minister of Mexico and professor at Sciences Po,…
Defining Modernity in South-East Asia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:33
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by LuHan Gabel, associate director of the Ideas Workshop at the Open Society Foundations; Ooi Kee Beng, political historian and executive director of the Penang Institute; and Chelsea Ng…
The China-native generation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:48
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Loubna El Amine, lecturer in political theory at King’s College London and affiliate of the Lau China Institute, and Cobus van Staden, head of research at the China-Global South Proje…