China has become a superpower through its extraordinary economic growth over four decades. It has developed a model of ’state capitalism’ which has combined the strengths of both state ownership and control alongside capitalism in much of the economy. It  now faces serious  challenges: demographic ageing; an over reliance on investment; a big stock of corporate debt; resistance to further market reform. I discuss these challenges with George Magnus who is one of the leading economic and financial commentators on China and with Linda Yueh, a scholar who has written extensively on the Chinese economy. Interested in learning more? Vince’s new book ‘The Chinese Conundrum: Engagement or Conflict’ is available to buy online or from your local bookstore. Amazon, Bloomsbury, Waterstones, WHSmiths. To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

Isabel Hilton is a noted journalist with long experience of China. Her particular interest is in environment policy and with the COP conference in Glasgow to come shortly she gives her assessment of where China stands on climate change. China is the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses and has a heavy dependence on coal burning; but it also has the world’s most advanced capacity in renewable technology. Which will prevail? Interested in learning more? Vince’s new book ‘The Chinese Conundrum: Engagement or Conflict’ is available to buy online or from your local bookstore. Amazon, Bloomsbury, Waterstones, WHSmiths. To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

In this episode I talk to Professor Kerry Brown who is internationally recognised as a leading authority on Chinese politics. His books on the Chinese Communist Party and on the politics of President Xi are seminal works. He explains how the Chinese 'party state’ operates and how Xi has not just assumed powers unmatched since Mao but reinstated the central role of the Party in public life with his own personal philosophy - Xi Jinping Thought - at the heart of decision making. Interested in learning more? Vince’s new book ‘The Chinese Conundrum: Engagement or Conflict’ is available to buy online or from your local bookstore. Amazon, Bloomsbury, Waterstones, WHSmiths. To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

China’s relationship with the West has deteriorated rapidly and become toxic with China portrayed as a ’threat’ through Chinese competition in trade and technology, assertiveness abroad and growing military strength and bitter disagreements on ‘human rights’ issues. Why has this happened and is the perception of China as a threat justified? There is also a quickly evolving change in the business landscape in China with the authorities toughening their regulatory control over Internet companies and emphasising ‘common prosperity’ rather than economic growth. What is happening and why is it happening? These are issues I explore in my latest podcast series which coincides with the publication of my book: the China Conundrum. I pursue them with some of the country’s leading authorities on China. To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

In this special episode, I’m on stage at the Hay Festival, talking about my latest book ‘Money & Power’.  Through economics, our politicians have the power to transform people's lives for better or worse. Think Deng Xiaoping who lifted millions out of poverty by opening up China; Franklin D Roosevelt whose 'New Deal' helped the USA break free of the Great Depression. Or Peron and his successors in Argentina who brought the country to the brink of ruin. I discuss in this interview about Money and Power the legacy of 16 world leaders who transformed their countries' economic fortunes and who also challenged economic convention. From Thatcher to Trump, from Lenin to Bismarck.  To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

Young people are being thrown into a labour market which is constantly changing. But how do they keep up? In this episode I talk to Mark Malcolmson, who is one of the leading authorities and practitioners of continuing education: head of the City Lit in London, the biggest adult learning institution in the country. To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

In this episode I discuss the trends taking place in business - such as more and more advanced technology - and how these are changing the demand for workers, especially young workers joining the labour force for the first time.  I discuss this with Lord Tim Clement-Jones who has devoted a lot of thought to the issue of digitisation of work; and with Juergen Maier, former head of Siemens in the UK, who has been heavily involved in Britain’s industrial strategy and in the design and redesign of apprenticeship. To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

Join me as I host David Willetts, my former colleague in government as Universities Minister, now in the Lords and Chairman of the Resolution Foundation; Shakira Martin, twice elected President of the National Union of Students and a student who graduated the hard way: a black single mum working her way through FE college to graduation, now in charge of Student Experience at a college in South East London; and Deborah Streatfield who has done pioneering work with teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds in careers development. In this episode, we discuss the short and long term impact on Covid on the student experience.  To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co

Life does not look rosy for many young people. In a series of three podcasts, Vince Cable interviews experts in education and business to understand the damage covid has done to their prospects.  Post-Covid, we have a generation/age cohort which has missed out partially - or even completely - on over a year’s education and training. They have been thrown into the labour market without completing exams or training courses, a labour market frozen by the pandemic with entry-level opportunities drastically reduced.  This comes on top of a trend of less stable employment, contracting apprenticeships, accelerating technological change, more expensive post school education and training, and an overall ‘pinch’ on the young generation relative to Millennials and older people.  To find out more about Vince, go to www.vincecable.org Follow him on Twitter: @vincecable Produced by Podcast.co