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In-depth interviews & dialogues with global thinkers

Podcast | U Thant, the Untold Story of the 1960s and Lessons for Today

In this podcast, Dr Brian Wong (HKU; OXGS Fellow) interviews the distinguished writer and historian Dr Thant Myint-U on the legacy of his grandfather, U Thant, the first Asian to serve as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr Thant’s latest book, Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World, examines his grandfather’s role in driving world peace amidst the turbulent events that defined the 1960s.

08/01/2026

Podcast | Confucius Institute: Myth and Reality

In this podcast episode, Professor Michael Jinghan Zeng discusses his new book Memoirs of a Confucius Institute Director with Dr Brian Wong. The book draws on Professor Zeng’s experience leading the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University from 2019 to 2025. The conversation delves into the myth, controversies and realities of the Confucius Institute, a topic that is highly debated in the West.

23/12/2025
Podcast on Ukraine's anti-corruption

Podcast | Mobilisation Against Capture: Defending Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Agencies

This podcast episode explores the events of July 2025, when Ukraine swiftly passed a law that—under the guise of addressing the issue of missing persons during wartime—introduced far-reaching changes to the country’s anti-corruption framework. The podcast discusses how these amendments undermined the independence of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption agencies and threatened more than a decade of anti-corruption progress.

09/09/2025

Recording | Djoomart Otorbaev on the future of Central Asia

In this interview with Dr Brian Wong, former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Djoomart Otorbaev talked about Central Asia’s rise as a popular destination for investment from global and regional powers and the challenges it faces. He emphasized that Central Asia wants to be friend with everyone, and won’t take sides in geopolitical conflicts.The mineral-rich region wants to be competitive, not only for its natural resources, but also human resources and innovation.

18/06/2025

Gambling on Development? An interview with Stefan Dercon

In this podcast, Stefan Dercon, Professor of Economic Policy at Oxford University and former chief economist at UK Department of International Development, argues that the elites’ policies, rather than the people, are the ones that matter for economic development. He also notes, while democracies and autocracies perform similarly well in economy on average, the real difference is the variance among autocracies.

17/08/2024
Dialogue with Keyu Jin

What makes the Chinese economic model special? A conversation with Keyu Jin

Drawing on her recent work “China’s new playbook” , Professor Keyu Jin discusses with Brian Wong the present opportunities and challenges of the Chinese economy and the future of Sino-American relations. She also reflects on how she feels regarding commenting on China in an increasingly polarized setting.

15/08/2024
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