The Political Economy Underlying the US-China Clash with Ho-Fung Hung

Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Ho-Fung Hung, the Henry and Elizabeth Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University, to discuss contemporary understandings of China and how they're shaped and influenced by China's storied past. Their conversation draws on themes from Ho-Fung’s upcoming book, The China Question: Eight Centuries of Fantasy and Fear, set for release in February 2026. The two explore how historical perceptions, geopolitical anxieties, and longstanding fantasies about China have shaped global engagement with the country over the centuries. They trace how these dynamics continue to echo in contemporary politics and how foreign notions and policies interact with and influence China.

Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Guest: Ho-Fung Hung,  the Henry and Elizabeth Wiesenfeld Professor in Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University. Professor Ho-Fung is also the author of several award-winning books, including City on the Edge: Hong Kong Under Chinese Rule (2022), Clash of Empires: From ‘Chimerica’ to the ‘New Cold War’ (2022), and The China Boom: Why China Will Not Rule the World (2015). Additionally, he often contributes analysis and commentary to media outlets such as The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Strait Times and The People’s Daily.