Poking with Chopsticks (China Podcast)
Poking with Chopsticks (China Podcast)
Qin Liwen & Marcel Grzanna
How dictatorships work - Freelance writers Qin Liwen and Marcel Grzanna discuss Chinese government's authoritarian policies and strategies and put it into perspective with their own real-life-experiences
#24 President for good - This is what happens now
China's President Xi Jinping has established himself in Mafia style as a leader for lifetime. That's not good news neither for 1,4 billion in the country nor for the rest of the world. His reign of fear will make lots of people suffer.
Oct 29, 2022
36 min
#23 "Crimes against humanity" – A Xinjiang report that resonates on multiple levels
The UN believes the victims of human rights violations more than Beijing's threadbare explanations. Thisfact will deepen the cleavage lines in international institutions. And it assures China's nationalists that they're on the right track with pushing social decoupling from the West.
Sep 4, 2022
28 min
#22 A political power game - Emperor Xi ist exercising his will whilst tens of millions are locked up in their houses
Lockdowns in Shanghai and other Chinese cities are apparently intended to combat the corona virus. But the main question is whether President Xi is powerful enough to become president for life. For that purpose nothing else matters. Not even more and more raging foreigners willing to leave the country.
Apr 29, 2022
32 min
#21 New World Order - Why Chinese censorship only applies one way
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a welcome opportunity for China's domestic propaganda to tell a story of a needled Russian regime. For that purpose it even accepts flooding of it's scoial media platforms with fake news.   
Mar 8, 2022
46 min
#20 The Games must go on - How CCP pulls athletes through the arena at five rings
For the Chinese government the Beijing Winter Olympics are less about sports. The event is a stage to demonstrate the superiority of its authoritarian political system. The IOC passionately helps to cover up all the dirt.
Jan 28, 2022
46 min
#19 Power, sex and punishment - What happens next with tennis star Peng Shuai?
A former Wimbledon champion goes missing in China after disclosing accusations of sexual coercion by former high-ranking party official Zhang Gaoli. The case displays the country's leadership's disdain of #MeToo. What will happen to Peng Shuai after the Beijing Olympics?  
Dec 2, 2021
38 min
#18 Authoritarian self-disassembly - Has China's rise already come to an end?
Tech-companies, fan culture, online gaming - for the Chinese government evil for society and threat to its power monopoly is couching everywhere. Instead of providing little spaces for society to breathe, Beijing prefers to opt for radical bans. The autocrats just never learned integrative politics. How long should this work?
Oct 11, 2021
38 min
#17 Lying flat - A relaxing concept that stresses Chinese censors
More and more Chinese youngsters prefer chill time to working hours. They are fed up with a system that demands them to totally submit their personal desires to a company that doesn't care for them. The government though sees another threat for its power monopoly. Although lying flat could support the plan to spur the birth ratio. 
Aug 17, 2021
43 min
#16 Quo vadis, Hong Kong? - One year National Security Law
The contours of the future Hong Kong are becoming increasingly visible. Beijing's political purge cuts freedom and tramples on civil rights. Quo vadis, Hong Kong?
Jul 18, 2021
42 min
#15 Look who's back - The return of the Lab Leak Theory
For a year Chinese government was successful in containing the Lab Leak Theory. Now that 18 month have gone and still no origin of the Corona virus has been detected tides are changing. 
Jun 10, 2021
34 min
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