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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Is China's New 'Charm Offensive' Doomed to Fail?

    For the second time in 20 years, the leaders of China have just completed a peaceful transition of power. Xi Jinping has become the Communist Party Chairman, Commander in Chief of the Army and—yesterday--President of the Country.  All that took place, as usual, behind closed doors.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    For the second time in 20 years, the leaders of China have just completed a peaceful transition of power. Xi Jinping has become the Communist Party Chairman, Commander in Chief of the Army and—yesterday--President of the Country. All that took place, as usual, behind closed doors. Xi will be running an economic powerhouse with an inferiority complex about its lack of cultural influence. He says, "Just as China needs to learn more about the world, so does the world need to learn more about China." But, can he develop China's "soft-power" in the face of political censorship, limits on foreign tourism and military saber rattling? We hear about the contradictions that make the world's second most powerful nation harder to understand — and more frightening — than it wants to be.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    China's Charm Offensive
    1. 0:00Obama Talks Iran Nuclear Capability, Prepares for Mid-East Trip
    2. 7:55Is China's New 'Charm Offensive' Doomed to Fail?You’re reading this
    3. 42:26Will Fan-funded 'Veronica Mars' Movie Change Hollywood
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Adam Minter

      author of the book “"Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale."

    • KCRW placeholder

      James Fallows

      Atlantic

    • KCRW placeholder

      Orville Schell

      Asia Society

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    China's Charm Offensive
    1. 0:00Obama Talks Iran Nuclear Capability, Prepares for Mid-East Trip
    2. 7:55Is China's New 'Charm Offensive' Doomed to Fail?You’re reading this
    3. 42:26Will Fan-funded 'Veronica Mars' Movie Change Hollywood
    Back to To the Point