Since Xi Jinping's rise to power, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been undergoing extensive reforms. From increasing defense spending, to investing in new technological capabilities and learning from Russia's war in Ukraine, China has been set on transforming its military into a top-tier force. In this episode, Meia Nouwens discusses China's road to military modernization under Xi Jinping as China's President as well as the chairman of the Central Military Commission.

This month's guest:Meia Nouwens is a Senior Fellow for Chinese Security and Defence Policy at IISS, specializing in China’s defence industry, military innovation, and regional strategic affairs. She leads research on China’s Digital Silk Road and previously co-led the China Security Project with MERICS. Before joining IISS, she worked for the European External Action Service in Taipei and New Zealand, as well as in private-sector consulting on foreign policy and defence. She holds degrees in international relations from Macquarie University and Leiden University, and an MPhil in modern Chinese studies from Oxford and Peking University.

See notes:

• Three Dates, Three Windows, and All of DOTMLPF-P
• China’s Military Modernisation: Recent Trends - 2024
• DOD Report Details Chinese Efforts to Build Military Power
• China’s Modernizing Military | Council on Foreign Relations

In November 2024, a tragic roof collapse at Novi Sad’s train station claimed 15 lives and ignited nationwide protests in Serbia. But what really happened? Who bears responsibility? And how do Chinese firms and their involvement in the station's reconstruction fit into the bigger picture? In this episode, we explore the fallout of this disaster, its impact on Serbia’s politics, and the potential effects on Sino-Serbian relations with expert insight from Stefan Vladisavljev.

This month's guest:

Stefan Vladisavljev holds program director position at Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society since April of 2024. Prior to that, Stefan was BFPE program coordinator and assistant. He is also part of the team behind Belgrade Security Forum. As a part of the program team, Stefan is responsible for program planning, speaker selection and analytical writing. During his engagement in BFPE, so far, he is mostly dealing with the topics in the field of international relations and security and foreign policy. His main expertise is cooperation between actors in the field of international relations, and foreign actors influence, with the focus on cooperation between Western Balkans countries and China. Stefan is also a CHOICE Fellow for the Western Balkan region.

See notes:

Serbia and China: What Does the “Shared Future” Hold for “Steel Friends”?⁠⁠

Chinese Influence in Serbia⁠

⁠“Steel Friendship” — Forging of the Perception of China by the Serbian Political Elite⁠

⁠FACILITATING KLEPTOCRACY: THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHINA’S CORROSIVE CAPITAL IN SERBIA⁠

⁠China’s 'Digital Silk Road' Enters the Western Balkans

The results of the 2024 US presidential election are set to shape the future of global politics, with potentially far-reaching effects on the balance of power, international relations, and economic strategies. How do key players like China perceive this pivotal moment, and what might a second Trump term mean for the evolving dynamics between the US, China, and Russia? Dive into this episode for an in-depth look at these critical developments and their implications.

This month's guests:

• Vivian Wu - CEO & Founder of Dasheng Media
• Maria Repnikova - Scholar of China political communication, Associate Professor at Georgia State University

See notes:

• What Does Trump’s Election Victory Mean for Russia?
• What Trump’s Win Means for U.S. Foreign Policy
• What does Trump’s return mean for America’s relations with Russia?
• As the U.S. Votes, China Is Watching
• Dasheng Media