The US-China Podcast

CHINA Town Hall (CTH), a program that provides a snapshot of the current U.S.-China relationship and examines how that relationship reverberates at the local level – in our towns, states, and nation – connects people around the country with U.S. policymakers and thought leaders on China.  
The 2026 CHINA Town Hall program took place on Tuesday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT, with two veteran senior diplomats discussing the current state and future trajectory of the U.S.-China relationship: Stephen Biegun, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, and Sarah Beran, former deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and former senior director for China and Taiwan affairs at the White House National Security Council. 
Since CTH launched in 2007, the National Committee has proudly partnered with a range of institutions and civic groups, colleges and universities, trade and business associations, world affairs councils and think tanks to convene town halls and bring this important national conversation to local communities around America (and a few overseas).

China's role in the Middle East and North Africa has grown in recent years as Beijing has expanded its engagement in energy, trade, infrastructure, and diplomacy across the region. At the same time, Middle Eastern and North African governments are assessing what deeper ties with China can offer and where Beijing's influence still falls short. What draws China to the Middle East and North Africa, what is its strategy there, and how are shifts in U.S. policy shaping Beijing's regional approach? 

Chuchu Zhang joined us on March 24, 2026 to discuss China's interests in the Middle East and North Africa and how governments in the region view China. 
Learn more about the speaker and watch the video here.

China is the largest manufacturer, installer, and user of clean energy and electric vehicles., At the same time, it emits more greenhouse gasses than any other country. While efforts to work with the United States on climate issues have stalled in recent years, a combination of grass roots activism and long term government policy are driving China's environmental movement forward. How does China approach environmentalism? Can the United States and China resume cooperation on climate?

Alex Wang joined us on April 1, 2026 to discuss these questions and share how climate policy differs between the United States and China.

Alex's new (open-source) book Chinese Global Environmentalism looks at how and why China is approaching global green development. The book explores how China got from a period of environmental crisis to a period  of relative success and examines both both challenges and successes in-depth. 
Read Alex's bio and watch the video here.

Educational exchange is a primary way for American and Chinese people to interact with each other, creating opportunities to build common ground. However, both the United States and Chinese governments are hindering and restricting educational exchange opportunities by limiting interactions and complicating bureaucratic processes. Despite these hurdles, opportunities persist for U.S.-China collaboration, especially in the nonprofit and business sectors. Can educational exchange between the United States and China stay afloat amid changing U.S.-China relations? 

Rosie Levine joined us on March 9, 2026 to explain why educational exchange between the United States and China is important.

Inequality in the United States and China remains problematic as policymakers grapple with high costs, tepid employment, and an uncertain global economy. Social policy scholars work to highlight the visible and invisible factors contributing to inequality in both countries. Common solutions have emerged over time like a focus on children's education and women's empowerment. Despite best efforts, common challenges have also persisted. While cultural contexts differ, the shared fight against poverty and other forms of inequality could provide a basis for collaborative U.S.-China efforts in the future. 

Qin Gao joined us on Feb 26, 2026 to share her observations of common themes and challenges the United States and China face in fighting inequality and her story starting out in the social policy field.