China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy

China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy

June 25, 2026 · 44 min

About this episode

The episode discusses China's evolving perspectives on the international order and its implications for global governance.

As a global power, China faces a growing tension between its ambitions to reshape the international order and its disinterest in bearing the costs of upholding that new system. In this episode of Pekingology, CSIS Senior Fellow Henrietta Levin is joined by Sam Chetwin George, Senior Fellow at the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.–China Relations and Research Fellow at China Heritage, to explore Beijing’s evolving perspectives on the post-World War II order and what comes next. They discuss China’s vision for global governance, the ideological foundations of its international strategy, how its domestic economic challenges may shape its international priorities, and how it approaches the conflicts in Ukraine, Iran, and Myanmar. To learn more about Sam’s perspectives on Chinese foreign policy, you can read his new Foreign Affairs article, China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy: Why Turbulence Will Make Beijing More Assertive. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/china-was-ready-age-anarchy

People in this episode

Host: Henrietta Levin

Guest: Sam Chetwin George

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Asia Society, Center for Strategic and International Studies, China Heritage, Foreign Affairs

Books & works: China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy

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