The China Current with James Chau: Recent Episodes
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The China Current with James Chau is a dynamic storytelling experience that brings you up close to fascinating people and stories shaping our shared global future. Weekly videos and podcasts hosted by James Chau – writer, news anchor and UN Goodwill Ambassador – take you on an exciting journey to 'see' and 'hear' China first-hand. Now available on all major digital and social media platforms.
The China Current is proud to introduce its new Culture Contributor, Tasmin Little. The world renowned violinist first visited China in 1982 as a student at the Menuhin School. In this podcast, Tasmin pays tribute to Chi Chi, the giant panda born in the wild of Sichuan — who later made her home at London Zoo.
Ge Yang is a phenomenal table tennis player — a world champion and winner of six Paralympic gold medals across the Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio games. At the age of six, he lost his right hand in an accident at home in Hebei, a province just outside of Beijing. He shares his story of becoming an Olympian. Our Host James Chau met with him in Bangkok, where they talked about the beauty of the human spirit, and how he ultimately triumphed not only in sports, but also in life.
For the first time since the pandemic, the world gathers a major cultural event. Art Basel in Hong Kong is a truly hybrid fair with an audience that is physical and virtual. Local galleries are showing physically, but exhibitors from outside the city have flown in their works — while a new digital initiative called Art Basel Live offers online viewing rooms, virtual walkthroughs, and daily broadcasts. In this special interview, James Chau, Host of The China Current, speaks with Adeline Ooi, Director Asia of Art Basel. Watch and listen to this conversation on video and podcast.
The pandemic may have reshaped the world, but it has also triggered a surge of interest in public health education. Dr. Michelle Williams is Dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which is seeing record applications from students striving to serve. Born in Jamaica, she moved to America as a child. In this conversation with James Chau, she explores the skills students require to become the global health experts of tomorrow — listening, analyzing, and communicating with communities — and the vision she brings to her role as an advisor to the Tsinghua Vanke School of Public Health. Part2: Wisdom in Health | Michelle Williams | From The Well
For a decade, Dr. Margaret Chan served as the world’s health chief. Now, she is the Founding Dean of Tsinghua Vanke School of Public Health, a center of innovation in Beijing that seeks to link "health" to "humanity" in a time of global need. It is reinventing how we approach health by addressing big global challenges in parallel, from the planet to the current pandemic. This is the first episode of 'From The Well', a new conversation series where our Host James Chau sits down with global experts.
Amidst a pandemic that continues to shake the world, we sometimes need reminding that we really are “all in this together.” Astronaut Ron Garan knew he wanted to be an astronaut since he was a child when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Now, after 178 days in space and completing four spacewalks, he offers us an “orbital perspective” on the unity of humanity that becomes clear when looking at our planet from afar. Our Host James Chau speaks with Colonel Garan about the awe and wonder of space — and the contrast with the fear and anxiety in the world today.
As Chair of the Elders, Mary Robinson advocates for peace and justice for everyone. In this special conversation with our Host James Chau, the former leader of Ireland shares her insights on how we can achieve a future with the wellbeing of our planet at the center. In honor of the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, The China Current presents this special conversation with Mary Robinson.
In a world still struggling to come to terms with a pandemic, Norway is one of the least impacted. Its leader Erna Solberg went in hard and early to prevent infections from taking root, a strategy that has protected the country's more than 5 million people. In this wide ranging conversation with our Host James Chau, she shares some of the fundamental lessons from this ongoing experience. This interview is in partnership with SHE—the community, conference, and movement to achieve equality in society. Join their call at sheinsight.com.
Millions have now experienced the physical and mental toll of the virus spreading globally—including Peter Piot, who in 1976 co-discovered Ebola in Central Africa. In this special interview, he revisits his recent hospitalization, and near-death experience, describing it as a state of moving “between heaven and earth.” Our Host James Chau speaks to Professor Piot who is the Director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Follow us for stories on how the outbreak is shaping our modern world. Part 1: I Moved Between Heaven and Earth Part 2: A Major Shift in power relations Part 3: Protect Yourself, Protect Others
As global leaders continue to organize their pandemic response teams, U.S. leadership is balancing the need to maintain some sections of the economy while keeping people safe from the health crisis. It’s a hard-struck balance, and no one is exactly sure where it will lead us as some states begin to reopen. One organization, The Rockefeller Foundation, has set forth a national testing plan to meet the needs of this moment. President of The Rockefeller Foundation Dr. Rajiv J. Shah is leading this initiative to ramp up U.S. testing, all while working from home. We speak with him from his home in New York.
Part1: Meeting This Moment Part2: The International Experience Part3: Lessons From the Past
Although they are not with us today, our ancestors shine a continuous reflection on our lives, influencing our perceptions and interactions with the world in subtle yet powerful ways. In her latest film—The Farewell—actor, author, comedian, and rapper, Awkwafina returns to her Asian roots—telling the story of her grandmother’s last days and the ancestral background underpinning a new generation. It reveals the cultural nuances of an American woman finding comfort—and conflict—with her family’s heritage. Our Host James Chau speaks to our Contributing Editor Laura de Belgique about the importance of identity and ancestry.
In 2006, Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions towards alleviating global poverty. Now, the "banker to the poor" is shifting his focus to today’s health crisis— to help transform a world already hurt by a range of inequalities. In a resounding call to action, he says every human being has unlimited capacity to change the future. Nobel laureate and social entrepreneur Professor Yunus speaks to our host James Chau in this special interview.
Part 1: Our Fate Moving Forward Part 2: Restarting the Engine
Everyone is impacted differently in times of crises. Today, those with preexisting health conditions are facing increased barriers to treatment and access to medication, compounding the challenges they already face. Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director, speaks with our host James Chau about vulnerable populations and the hope that community leadership provides.
Part 1: This Crisis Is Not Equal Part 2: Health is Not a Commodity Part 3: The Power of Ordinary People
The world needs strong global partnerships in times of trouble. Jeffrey Sachs, economist and University Professor at Columbia University, sits down with our host James Chau to discuss the importance of international collaboration.
California womenswear brand L'AGENCE wanted to be supportive during these troubling times and did so in the way they know best: by donating jeans. L'AGENCE donated $1M of their denim to female health workers on the front lines, and while jeans aren’t a necessity in this crisis, they knew it was the best way to use their expertise to give back, express their gratitude, and put smiles on people’s faces. L'AGENCE CEO and Creative Director Jeffrey Rüdes designed this crisis-response campaign. Our host James Chau speaks to the brand’s CEO and President, Jeffrey Rüdes and Albert Schami, about this act of kindness in a time of division and the economic impact. So far, thousands of health workers have responded to the gifts with expressions of joy and thanks. L'AGENCE CEO and Creative Director, Jeffrey Rüdes, designed this crisis-response campaign. Our host James Chau speaks to him and the brand’s President Albert Schami about this act of kindness in a time of division and the economic impact the pandemic will have on American industry.
The COVID-19 response is being led by leaders in politics, science and health. But one teenager in Hong Kong is reshaping that narrative with a platform she's created to involve people young and older. With a simple but effective action list, she is calling on everyone to participate in impactful solutions - and at the same time, reminding us to stay at home and to wash our hands. The message here is 'kindness' - and woven into it is a nuanced mission, she says, to demonstrate that the young people of Hong Kong, a city already battered by months of protests, are able to craft a happier future for themselves, and for everyone.
Attica Scott is one of very few elected women of color in the United States. As a Kentucky State Representative, she is a unique face of leadership in a state that has battled poverty and racial division. The threat of COVID-19 has highlighted deep inequalities in healthcare systems, especially for minority communities who are already at a disadvantage. But despite these enormous challenges, Kentucky is currently relatively unscathed in the ongoing crisis— with a relatively low number of deaths and infections compared to its neighboring states. Our host James Chau speaks to Representative Scott about the community leadership behind Kentucky’s response, her concerns for people in rural areas, and how she and her colleagues are governing in a crisis. She says now is the time to put aside our divisions, break down walls, and focus on taking care of everyone to find a way to move forward.
Helen Clark was Prime Minister of New Zealand and Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. Today, she is a pivotal leader who is exercising her statesmanship against COVID-19, the greatest threat to space and security. In her communications with the UN Security Council and G20 leaders, she has made a clarion call for a global coordinated action to include urgent funding, debt relief, and a reset mindset that will allow countries to go hard and forward together. Our host James Chau speaks with Helen Clark in this special interview from her home in Auckland. Part1: A Threat to Stability Part2: Convening Platforms Part3: Trading Stigma for Solidarity Part4: Meeting the Needs of Now
We've brought you many conversations with people shaping the response and looked at the consequences for highly vulnerable communities, like refugees, asylum seekers, and people of color. But the fallout from this pandemic is only becoming more apparent as each day passes. That's why our host James Chau speaks to art historian Manfredi della Gherardesca, who provides a lens by which we can digest the world before, during, and after COVID-19. Like many people, he is also a first-hand participant in the complexities of the lockdown, choosing to leave his home in London for his home country of Italy, even though it is one of the worst-affected of all.
Filippo Grandi brings enormous field experience in emergency operations to his role as UN High Commissioner for Refugees - and compassion and kindness, too. Today, there are 70.8 million forcibly removed people, whose challenges and those of their host communities are compounded by COVID-19, the biggest threat to humanity in almost a century. What future awaits these individuals, many of whom have no home or access to clean water - but are being told to stay indoors and wash their hands? And what hope do they have in this era of lockdowns and closed borders, when movement and escape are sometimes their only means of survival? In this special conversation, our host James Chau speaks with Mr. Grandi about the human condition that impacts us all.
Lateefah Simon is a prolific civil rights and racial justice advocate, community leader, and elected public official in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the pandemic deepens in the United States, groups like the Black Lives Matter warn that people of color will be harder hit, because of a inequities in a healthcare system that often means higher rates of chronic disease, and lower access to basic services. Our host James Chau worked with Lateefah in AIDS, and in this interview they discuss the stakes for people of all colors, the future they face, and what chance they have in this emergency. She says when they unify, they unleash the collective power of the American promise.
Costantino della Gherardesca is an Italian writer and television host on the popular show Pechino Express. Due to the pandemic, he has relocated to Rome, where the entertainment industry has come to a near standstill. Costantino says people need emotional relief from the realities of the daily news. It is his public duty, he says, to entertain people and make them smile again - now more than ever. Our host James Chau speaks to Costantino about his role as a leading cultural figure in Italy. Together, they unpack the social landscape and how it is shaping the response in one of the worst-affected countries.
“Everything that happened in China will have to happen in other economies.” Renowned economist Lawrence Lau speaks on the economic, governmental, and societal impacts of the current global health crisis. Professor Lau has lived more than half his life in the United States, studying first at Stanford and Berkeley, before joining the Stanford faculty and becoming a professor at the age of 32. After the onset of SARS, he became the Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he continues to serve as the Lauder Professor of Economics. Our host James Chau interviewed him in Hong Kong.
In these uncertain times, it’s important to see the current crisis as a human crisis, and remember that radical acts of kindness can bring us closer together and help to make this world a better place to live. One such example is the Shangri-La Hotel in Wuhan. In the midst of the global health crisis, the five-star multinational hotel group provided rooms – a home – for 236 health workers who volunteered to the original epicenter of the crisis, and cooked 24,000 meals for doctors and nurses in hospitals nearby. Given the emergency the city was in, this was a unique challenge in itself. Our host James Chau spoke to Charlie Dang, Executive Vice President for Operations in South China at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, to understand how acts of kindness in challenging times make us human.
Gender is always critical and again in the COVID-19 pandemic. Early data shows high-risk groups including the ageing population and those with underlying health issues such as long-term heart, liver, kidney and lung disease. But we are also beginning to know that men are more susceptible to infection, though the reasons for this are not clear. At the same time, with women making up the majority of the world’s health workforce, what is the opportunity here to create a new movement for equality, so that the legacy of COVID-19 can produce some meaningful good for all of us? Our host James Chau speaks to Professor Sarah Hawkes, Director of the Centre for Gender and Global Health at the University College of London, and Co-Founder of Global Health 50/50.
Last Wednesday, our host James Chau interviewed Andrea Pastorelli, a friend in Rome who graciously agreed to speak about his experience being in lockdown in Italy. What he didn't know was that Andrea and his husband Seth Doane, a CBS correspondent, had that same day been tested for COVID-19. While Andrea was negative, Seth's result returned positive. Here, we get an inside look into Italy during this unprecedented time—a first-hand look into the private lives of friends and families at the European epicenter. We wish Andrea and Seth, and everyone following us, good health.
One year ago, Dr. Takeshi Kasai was elected the World Health Organization Regional Director of the West Pacific—a region composed of 37 countries and areas, from China to American Samoa, from Australia to the Philippines, where he is based. At its heart are 1.9 billion people —a quarter of humanity— with vastly different health needs and a great number of dynamic micro-communities. Our host James Chau speaks with Dr. Kasai on how COVID-19 continues to impact this region, the template it offers to the unfolding global pandemic elsewhere, and why he is adamant that the disease is called "COVID-19" — and nothing else.
While the world mourns the loss of lives in many countries including China, Iran, South Korea, the public is paying particular attention to Europe as the new epicenter of the pandemic. Within a few short weeks, the region has seen confirmed cases of the coronavirus skyrocket. As governments everywhere are struggling to respond to the fast-moving virus, scientists in the UK are working to better understand the epidemiology, and the public tries to adjust to the new reality impacting their day-to-day lives. Our host James Chau speaks with Laura de Belgique, a London-based contributing editor for The China Current. Follow us for the latest stories in our special coverage on the novel outbreak.
Lena, a local teacher in Wuhan, China, has not left her apartment since January 20th. The historic city was shocked into lockdown in January when it became the epicenter of the outbreak. After reporting 15,000 infections a day in China, that number has now dropped to a handful a day. But Wuhan remains under lockdown. Lena tells our host James Chau about life under quarantine— she is separated from her father, who is living alone nearby, and her mother, who was traveling at the time of the outbreak, was unable to return. Yet, despite all the challenges, Lena says she feels grateful to be alive and is happy to be in quarantine for the health of her family and the good of the country. This is a story of resilience and solidarity.
Last Wednesday, I interviewed Andrea Pastorelli, a friend in Rome who graciously agreed to speak on record about his experience in lockdown in Italy. What I didn't know was that Andrea and his husband Seth Doane, had that same day been tested for COVID-19. Seth's result returned positive, Andrea negative, but because of their close contact. Andrea has been told he could be a false negative. They are at home in Rome. Seth, a CBS correspondent, spoke just now with Gayle King on the 'This Morning' show - about his illness and being in quarantine. We wish him and Andrea the very best of health. I knew none of this when I sat down and Facetimed Andrea. So, this is our interview - after the test, but before the results - a kind of public-private account of an extraordinary country in lockdown, but also two friends who are part of these extraordinary times.
Early data from the outbreak indicates that the ageing population, particularly those with pre-existing medical conditions, are more susceptible to infection. Nursing homes and elderly homes globally have reported community clusters. But the downside of that caution is the false sense of security that is sending to young people - especially those who are healthy. Our host James Chau speaks to Dr. Art Reingold, an epidemiologist at Berkeley with decades of first-hand experience with infectious diseases, including eight years at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He looks at the evolving outbreak in the US, and provides a balanced insight into different at risk groups, the impact of public health measures in different cultures, and the likelihood that it's going to take a turn for the worse without strong interventions.
There is not one word that captures Gabriel Leung, member of the ongoing joint WHO-China COVID-19 mission. He is an international epidemiologist instrumental in the SARS response, a former Under Secretary for Food and Health in Hong Kong, and current Dean of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. Our host James Chau called Professor Leung in Hong Kong to discuss the scientific community’s evolving understanding of the epidemiology of the new virus, and the stigma and misinformation that attempts to undo the science. (Photo by HKU)
Health systems around the world are struggling to meet the needs of a changing population - and in some countries that's further strained by war, pandemics, and other emergencies. Dr. Vanessa Kerry, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and co-founder and CEO of Seed Global Health, is committed to addressing this critical issue. She has helped train thousands of nurses and midwives in some of the world's most fragile communities, and is helping to lead a global movement to realize that success everywhere. As a new outbreak grips the world, many health workers in Wuhan are infected and some of them dying. Dr. Kerry speaks to James Chau.
It's almost 40 years since HIV and AIDS was identified in New York and San Francisco, triggering an unprecedented response that has reshaped how we approach health, political leadership, and civil society. Now, Professor Kamarulzaman, President-elect of the International AIDS Society and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Malaya, says some of the experiences from AIDS applies to this new viral outbreak. The two are not the same: but they share similar challenges in stigma, travel bans, community mobilization, treatments, and putting humanity at the heart of an effective response. Professor Kamarulzaman speaks with James Chau.
The George HW Bush Foundation for US-China Relations has initiated a donation of two million masks for health workers and infected people in China. Neil Bush, son of the former American president, and founding chair of the Foundation that honors his legacy, speaks to James Chau. He discusses the meaning behind the donation and hopes for a vaccine, and looks at other outbreaks including Ebola as examples of positive bilateral collaboration. As the outbreak spreads globally, he describes the planet as one human race where "problems in China aren't exclusive to China".
Singapore is one of the affected countries in the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. But of the dozens of confirmed cases, over half have been discharged, and there have been no deaths. Kishore Mahbubani, the author of 'Has the West Lost?' and the upcoming book 'Has China Won?' was Singapore's Permanent Representative to the UN, during which time he served as President of the UN Security Council. He speaks to James Chau on the critical role of the United Nations, Singapore's measures to fight COVID-19, and what China must do next to prevent a worse global outbreak.
Professor Sharon Lewin is the founding Director of the Doherty Institute, a world-leading center for research, laboratory, and clinical care - and the first outside China to isolate the coronavirus now known as COVID-19. Her team is working on a vaccine, a major global development she shared with Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison when he visited the Doherty in Melbourne last week. She speaks to James Chau about the progress in science, the need for a vaccine, the treatments that could save lives in the meantime, and the likelihood that the virus could become endemic.
Ambassador He Yafei was China's Vice Foreign Minister and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, where he worked closely with agencies including the World Health Organization. I wanted to draw out that insight as one of the country's foremost diplomats, but also as an ordinary person who alongside millions of others in China, is staying mostly at home during this outbreak. He says the world has become complacent to the emergence of new viruses, relying on advancement in science and medicine, and wrongly believing that there will be a cure for every illness. I called Ambassador He in his hometown of Zhejiang to discuss the impact that the new virus will have - on preparing for the next health emergency, to supply chains and the world economy, and the likely shape of global governance in this new decade.
World Health Organization Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, hosted a meeting of the world's top scientists and research funders in Geneva last week to focus urgent attention on the global COVID-19 response. Our host James Chau interviews Dr. Swaminathan about the outcomes of the meeting, the science and medical community's priorities, the likelihood of a vaccine, and modified treatments that can be used to save lives now. She speaks to us from Geneva.
Dr. Parag Khanna is an economist and author, using his writing to shape our understanding of complex global issues in a rapidly changing world. China Current host, James Chau, discusses with Dr. Khanna China’s capacity to manage the outbreak of novel coronavirus and why not enough people recognize the impact of public health on their lives. They discuss what this means for China and the international community and whether global connectivity is more a burden than a blessing when it comes to global public health. Dr. Khanna speaks to James from Singapore.
The World Health Organization is on its way to China, on an international mission to urgently further understand the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that has infected tens of thousands of people in Wuhan and beyond. Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer, WHO Chief of Staff and Assistant Director-General, says the mission may go to Wuhan — or to another high-impact area, to avoid distracting from strained resources in the epicenter. He says China has helped secure the safety of the world by taking drastic action to contain the virus, pointing to the comparatively low number of infections globally. Dr. Schwartländer speaks to James Chau in this interview, sharing his insights on what the likely length of the outbreak might be, and why it is critical to mobilize a community-led movement to end it.
Millions have been watching the live feeds of China turning empty city lots into fully-functional emergency hospitals in just 10 days. These hospitals are equipped with thousands of patient beds and medical technology – and staffed by military doctors with first-hand experience battling Ebola in West Africa. These modern, makeshift facilities are being built at a time when local hospitals are overwhelmed and local gymnasiums are being repurposed to provide extra beds. Step by step, China seems to be catching up with the wide-spreading virus. Follow us for the latest stories in our special coverage on the novel outbreak. (Photo by Xinhua News agency)
In her first interview since the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Dr Margaret Chan looks at the implications as the number of infections and deaths climb. For over a decade, Dr Chan was Director-General of the World Health Organization, managing outbreaks from Zika, to polio, and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa that claimed 11,323 lives. All of these were declared a public health emergency of international concern - as has the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) by her successor, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. I first met Dr Chan during SARS when she was Director of Health in Hong Kong, and later served her and now Dr Tedros as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador. In this podcast, I wanted to draw out her deep experience in handling infectious diseases, to understand what this global health emergency means, and - in a world at acute risk for disease epidemics and pandemics - what governments and individuals can do to prepare now. Interview with James Chau. You can watch video highlights from this video by following @thechinacurrent on social media or www.chinacurrent.com
Once considered taboo to discuss, mental health is now rising up on the global agenda, including at this year's UN General Assembly, as the evidence linking it to wellbeing, the economy, and our future continues to build. In China, overcoming this challenge is all the more critical, as 1.4 billion people contend with the changing expectations, pressure, and income inequality that has accompanied the country’s dramatic drastic economic transformation of the last 40 years. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder have become some of the new realities - but with few resources available to those that struggle with their mental health, some people must turn to their own methods for maintaining their wellbeing. We look at the emerging trends and the cultural traditions that could offer hope for the future.
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest crises of our times with 8 million people dying of a tobacco-related illness every year. But in addition to illness and death, it's also tied to impoverishment. This triple impact is felt deeply in China, where many people continue to either smoke or be exposed to second-hand smoke. James Chau speaks with Dr Angela Pratt, who was part of the ministerial team in Australia that introduced plain packaging to the world - and now works on tobacco control, as well as other areas of health, at the World Health Organization. She shares her insights on China, a country she has lived and worked in, and why she believes its creation of smoke-free cities provides a template for a happier future.
In the final part of our conversation with C.H. Tung, First Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr. Tung discusses how China’s transformation out of an impoverished, isolated country has contributed to global peace. Since China's opening-up to the world, and the establishment of ties with the U.S., no American soldier has died on a battlefield in East Asia. He also shares his thoughts on how looking back can help us move forward, and how it’s up to the stakeholders including the young people of today to make the world a better place to live. More Videos: Part 1: Building Trust and Understanding Part 2: Opening Up Part 3: Securing Our Global Future
In the second part of our interview with First Chief Executive of Hong Kong C.H. Tung, we discuss the impact and legacy of a historic meeting between the leaders of the U.S. and China in the midst of the Cold War, and China's momentous decision to reform and open-up. Between President Nixon and Chairman Mao’s first meeting, to President Jimmy Carter and Deng Xiaoping’s warm friendship, Mr. Tung shares his insights on how the people-to-people relationships behind the U.S. and China’s coming together led to an era of stability that ultimately created a safer, more prosperous world. This is our conversation. More Videos: Part 1: Building Trust and Understanding Part 2: Opening Up Part 3: Securing Our Global Future
Tung Chee-hwa
The China Current team is proud to present a special conversation with C.H. Tung. In Part 1 of the interview, Mr. Tung, the First Chief Executive of Hong Kong, shares with James Chau his personal story of living and working in the U.S., how people from different backgrounds and cultures can achieve better trust and understanding with one another, and why he is a long-time believer that the entire planet benefits when the two largest economies, the U.S. and China, work together. He does so using his unique insights, his experience in leadership, and his own emotional connection with America and the American people. More Videos: Part 1: Building Trust and Understanding Part 2: Opening Up Part 3: Securing Our Global Future
Tung Chee-hwa
Chinese dumplings are enjoyed everywhere, but a group of young Yale and Peking University graduates are now popularizing a lesser-known style of Chinese comfort food in the US. Yong Zhao and Chef Lucas Sin are the co-founder and culinary director of Junzi Kitchen, which boasts a menu of thoughtful, northern Chinese comfort foods, such as noodles and "bings," a thin, savory pancake often sold as a street snack. With multiple restaurants already across New Haven and New York, Junzi Kitchen highlights the versatility and nuance of Chinese food and artfully leverages the appeal of global food culture with fast-casual dining to make this lesser-known cuisine accessible to everyone. Join James in New York, where he tries out Junzi's new branch near Bryant Park!
150 years ago, the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed, revolutionizing travel in the U.S. by linking the east and west coasts with 1,912 miles of track. Built largely by Chinese laborers, it brought mobility to millions of Americans. But according to Nancy Yao Maasbach, President of the Museum of Chinese in America, it is also filled with untold stories of the early Chinese settlers in the U.S. who gave their talent and lives to build the major innovation of its time.
Dr Bright Eric Ohene is a cardiovascular surgeon at Beijing’s Anzhen Hospital, where he uses innovative approaches to improving the health of his patients. In this interview, he compares his experiences in Beijing with those from his home country, Ghana, and discusses how he uses language and culture to connect with his colleagues and enhance the way he treats his patients.
The largest gathering of world leaders has kicked-off in New York, but what do they do? James Chau takes you behind and around the scenes at the UN General Assembly, where climate change, universal health coverage, and the Sustainable Development Goals are the headliners this year.
Six months ago, when we launched The China Current, we promised to bring you up close to fascinating people shaping our shared global future. Six months later, James Chau looks back at some of those stories: Emma Yang, Ge Yang, Tasmin Little and more. He also reflects on the environment, women in tech, and other key issues we've covered that bind us together.
Surgeons in China have achieved a medical ‘first’, successfully performing three simultaneous operations using the precision of robots and the speed of 5G networks. The operations were conducted by a team of physicians in Beijing, but with patients located across the country – up to several thousand kilometers away. Powered by high-speed 5G networks, the achievement opens a gateway to providing quality healthcare to patients in remote areas or disaster zones around the world.
Costco's first store in China has opened in Shanghai to enormous crowds, with three-hour waits for a parking spot and shoppers capped at 2,000 people per day. Videos of the first day’s deluge have gone viral on social media, as much for the enthusiastic scenes as for the signal they send — that American businesses are thriving in the world's biggest consumer market. James Chau takes a look.
A new hit series is taking the Internet by storm – and it’s about life in China more than 1,000 years ago. ‘The Longest Day in Chang’an’ – similar in format to the U.S. show ‘24’ – breaks down one full day in the Tang Dynasty, complete with drama, intrigue, and mystery. With great acting and painstaking research, it’s bringing history back to life.
‘How to Make a Difference’ is the title of the new book by two architects of a global youth movement: Ella and Kate Robertson. We first previewed Ella’s story in our recent podcast, and in this new video James Chau speaks with Ella, Managing Director of One Young World, the annual global forum she launched for young people in 2009, about how a decade of working with some of the globe's finest has given her an inside look into China's emerging geneation of youth - who are they and what will they contribute to the global community?
Chinese scientists recently flooded two islands in southern China’s Guangdong province with hundreds of millions of mosquitoes... and then successfully cleared them all out. It was part of a massive experiment by a research team at Sun Yat-sen University to determine if the world can eliminate deadly mosquito-borne diseases -- including malaria, dengue and Zika -- that kill one million people every year. James Chau looks at this fascinating story.
Shanghai needs very little introduction – but there’s so much to say. This city of over 26 million people is one of the most dynamic in the world: its cosmopolitan past is on display with the historical architecture along the Bund, while its innovative future is underpinned by the skyscrapers that stand on former farmlands in the financial center of Pudong. James Chau takes you inside "the city that belongs to everyone".
Once known for manufacturing cheap toys and textiles, China is increasingly known for developing innovative technology that's transforming the world and how we interact. But what triggered this change, and what opportunities does this innovation provide for everyone? With a growing pool of engineers, massive investment in infrastructure, and an expanding network of suppliers, China is positioned at a fascinating global crossroads. James Chau dives into the story.
Huawei is one of the world's leading technology brands. It is introducing 5G to international markets, reshaping mobile communications, and transforming the way we interact with one another. But as the company expands, and becomes a topic of conversation in political and trade discussions, many people are asking ‘who’ is Huawei and how will its innovations impact the world? We go inside its new nine-hectare R&D campus in southern China to take a closer look.
Three Chinese telecoms have been awarded 5G licenses, that could see the fifth generation of mobile communications roll-out to consumers as early as 2020. It will usher in an entirely new digital era of high speed and low latency, that will enable us to live and work ‘smart’ – and at a time when 55 per cent of the world's population lives in cities.
Charles Stevens, a college student at the University of St Andrews, traveled along the Silk Road last year - the ancient route that has fascinated traders and travelers for centuries. Today, though, it has transformed into a modern journey full of opportunity and innovation that is charting a model for the global future. I sat down with Charles in Hong Kong, 60+ days after he left his home in London to begin his journey. It's an incredible real-life tale of adventure, business and infrastructure - but mostly, people.
Professor Ilona Kickbusch is one of the world's foremost thinkers and visionaries on global health. A key architect of the 1986 Ottawa Charter, one of the most vital international agreements on health promotion, her innovative work has transformed the world and our most vulnerable communities in particular. Currently at Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Ilona has had a distinguished career, including at the World Health Organization and Yale University. She has also helped train many of today’s health leaders in China. In this interview, James Chau brings her back to her early years in India, and how being the child of a German diplomat helped shape her career and the influence she continues to exercise.
In just a few days, Katja Iversen, President & CEO of Women Deliver, will host the world's largest conference on gender equality in Vancouver, Canada, featuring heads of state among 9,000 delegates from 170 countries. James Chau speaks with Katja as she looks back at her life and the experiences that shaped her conviction to lead her movement for equality. She discusses what it will require to create a world that is fairer, and why she thinks China is so far down The Global Gender Gap Report.
As the 72nd World Health Assembly convenes in Geneva this week, Part 2 of the conversation with Professor Sharon Lewin reminds us just how important global cooperation on health is. For over 20 years, Professor Lewin has been on the cusp of 'discovery' - the discovery of an elusive AIDS cure, and in the process, the discovery of how we can all live safer and healthier lives. In an era when SARS, Ebola, Zika and various strains of avian influenza have become a norm, she references her work on one of the greatest epidemics in history - HIV and AIDS - to help us anticipate the next great global health emergency, and how we can prepare ourselves. This interview with James Chau was recorded in July 2018 at the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam.
For over 20 years, Professor Sharon Lewin has been on the cusp of 'discovery' - the discovery of an elusive AIDS cure, and in the process, the discovery of how we can all live safer and healthier lives. In an era when SARS, Ebola, Zika and various strains of the avian flu have become a norm, her work on one of the greatest epidemics in history - HIV and AIDS - can help us anticipate the next great global health emergency, and how we can prepare ourselves. This interview with James Chau was recorded in July 2018 at the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam.
45 seconds could be enough time to wash the plates that have been piling up in your sink, wipe off the front of your refrigerator, or send that one email you've been avoiding. But, thanks to a streamlined immigration process, it's also the time it now takes travelers to enter or leave China. In this latest video, we explore how China is seeing a massive growth in the movement of people across its borders, and is responding by enhancing mobility and connecting people like never before.
I was recently invited to The Carter Center's commemoration of the 40th anniversary of U.S.-China relations in Atlanta, where I met Professor David Lampton - a foremost thinker on the two countries. In this podcast, he describes his early adventures as a student in the 1960s, the way he centers his work through people and their voices, and how he has built a career around two fascinating countries and the world they shape.
The gender equality movement is building unprecedented momentum around the world, including in China. But what are the issues at stake, and how far are we from achieving genuine and meaningful equality for all? James Chau speaks to Ruth Lawlor and Kent Buse of Global Health 50/50 in New York.
A surprising 20-year-long data record from NASA has come out just in time for Earth Day, showing that the world has gotten greener within the past two decades. The greening is thanks to China and India’s efforts in forest conservation and expansion.
In January, when I interviewed Jimmy Carter, the former president told me that one way forward for the U.S. and China was to create a group of wise men and women who can guide the future relationship. Carter said he will send that suggestion to President Donald Trump - who has just confirmed that the two men have spoken. Also, Professor Wang Jisi of Peking University reacts to a New York Times report of limited visas for Chinese academics.
A 200 year-old Swiss textile company finds inspiration from the snowy Forbidden City to historical motifs in Chinese design. Camilla Fischbacher talks to James Chau about her family's legendary brand, Christian Fischbacher, and how the melting pot of globalization is shaping contemporary design, fashion, art, and architecture across both the West and the East.
Bill Gates says she's changing the game. So does Al Gore. Tech teen Emma Yang, who grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in New York, loves her grandmother so much, she's created an app that uses facial-recognition technology to ensure that her family - and potentially millions more - can communicate meaningfully with people with Alzheimer's. James Chau met Emma in New York, where she gave him a preview of her Timeless app and discussed how humanizing technology can help create a better world.
Millions of young Chinese are heading West to study, transforming the educational experiences of Chinese and Americans alike. Nini Suet is enmeshed in this world. The Beijing-born Princeton grad started an education business that tutors young Chinese for boarding schools in America, and prepares them to interact with an entirely new culture. She talks to James Chau about the magic that happens when these Chinese young people come together to with their American counterparts.
After 30 years as one of the world's greatest violinists, Tasmin Little recently announced her retirement. She speaks to James Chau about her incredible life, and how her musical talents led her to become one of the first people to enter China after it began opening its borders to the world.
Novelist and New York Times writer Ming Liu, who turns her voice to maybe China’s greatest export – food. But what makes it so good? Interview by James Chau.