POPULARITY
Newt discusses the potential crises between China and Taiwan with Dr. Weifeng Zhong, a senior advisor at the America First Policy Institute and an affiliate scholar at the Mercatus Center. Dr. Zhong leads the open-source Policy Change Index project, which uses AI and machine learning to analyze propaganda texts and predict government actions. Their conversation explores the Chinese Communist Party's attitude towards Taiwan, the role of propaganda in shaping public sentiment, and the implications of China's domestic challenges on its foreign policy. Dr. Zhong highlights the importance of monitoring changes in propaganda to understand Beijing's intentions and discusses the potential impact of economic weakness on China's approach to Taiwan. They also discuss the use of AI in analyzing North Korean propaganda and the broader implications of Chinese technology in global surveillance. Dr. Zhong's insights provide a nuanced understanding of the geopolitical dynamics in the Taiwan Strait and the role of AI in predicting potential conflicts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Newt talks with Dr. Weifeng Zhong, about the significant cybersecurity breach involving the US Treasury Department, where a hacker accessed security keys to override protocols and access unclassified documents. The US Treasury has since placed sanctions on a Beijing-based cybersecurity company for its alleged involvement in multiple hacking incidents targeting critical US infrastructure. Dr. Zhong provides insights into the broader implications of Chinese state-sponsored hacking activities, including the notorious Salt Typhoon group, which has infiltrated major US telecommunications companies. They discuss the historical context of Chinese cyber espionage, the sophisticated methods employed, and the challenges in countering these threats. Additionally, their discussion touches on the controversial role of TikTok in data collection and propaganda, and the strategic considerations for the US in addressing these multifaceted cyber threats.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Rants continue as we learn about a new hate crime in the West Hartford schools. Then, we talk with an expert on China about why all of a sudden that country is acting friendly with ours. He is Weifeng Zhong from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Photo: 1939 Argentina No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow #PRC: What does Xi Jinping want of the expanded BRICS.? Weifeng Zhong, Mercatus Center. https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/china-russia-emerging-economies-turn-main-summit-agenda-102473372
China's President Xi Jinping was in Moscow this week on a three day visit with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Xi Jinping was expected to present an agreement on economic cooperation between the two countries worth billions of dollars. Xi's visit comes just days after the International Criminal Court accused Putin of war crimes on Friday. They allege Putin was complicit in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Newt's guests are George Beebe, Director of Grand Strategy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and Dr. Weifeng Zhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this weekend episode, two segments from this week's C-SPAN's Washington Journal program – examining House Republicans' legislative focus in their first week in the majority. First, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist and Frank Clemente, Executive Director of Americans for Tax Fairness, discuss the House vote this week to rescind funding for the IRS and the future of tax policy under the Republican-led House, Then, Mercatus Center senior researcher Weifeng Zhong discusses the establishment of a new select committee to investigate the impact and influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this episode of Virtual Sentiments, Kristen interviews Weifeng Zhong of the Mercatus Center on his work with the Policy Change Index (PCI), a series of open-source machine learning projects that predict authoritarian regimes' major policy moves by “reading” their propaganda publications. Weifeng explains how his shocking revelation about the Tianneman Square massacre inspired him to create the PCI and details the ways in which it has evolved over the years, particularly as a means of "watching the watchers." Additionally, he gives a brief overview of China's recent policy changes, specifically concerning when its liberalization began to reverse course. Later, Kristen and Weifeng discuss the problems associated with machine learning algorithms, including whether bias is an automatic part of any machine learning process, and talk about what can be done to mitigate the current problems associated with machine learning.Learn more about the Policy Change Index here.Read more work from Weifeng Zhong.Read more work from Kristen Collins.If you like the show, please leave a 5-star review for us on Apple Podcasts and tell others about the show! We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and wherever else you get your podcasts.Follow the Hayek Program on Twitter: @HayekProgramLearn more about Academic & Student ProgramsFollow the Mercatus Center on Twitter: @mercatus
What is happening with the COVID lockdowns in China? What was discussed at the meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping in Bali, Indonesia on November 14th? Newt's guest is Dr. Weifeng Zhong. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He also runs the “Policy Change Index” project, which uses machine learning to read large volumes of propaganda text.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Remarkable scenes are unfolding across China. Ordinary citizens are taking to the streets to protest the regime's "Zero Covid" strategy that has locked millions of people in their homes and disrupted the country's economic output. The demonstrations are the largest show of resistance to the Communist Party's power since the pro-democracy movement that flowered in Tiananmen Square in 1989. In this episode, China analyst Weifeng Zhong of the Mercatus Center explains the roots of the regime's missteps under president Xi Jinping and whether the protests might coalesce into a movement for change.
Dr. Weifeng Zhong joins the show to discuss President Biden and Chinese President Xi meeting in Indonesia, for the first time, face-to-face since Biden took office. This meeting comes at a rocky time in the U.S.-Sino relationship where conflict exists over issues ranging from Taiwan to U.S. technology controls and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Weifeng Zhong, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Federalist Culture Editor Emily Jashinsky to discuss how Xi Jinping will navigate problems with China's economy, and to analyze the Chinese Communist Party's relationships with Russia, Taiwan, and the United States.
On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Weifeng Zhong, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Federalist Culture Editor Emily Jashinsky to discuss how Xi Jinping will navigate problems with China’s economy, and to analyze the Chinese Communist Party’s relationships with Russia, Taiwan, and the United States.
Dr. Weifeng Zhong joins the show to discuss China.
Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/2: #PRC: Russia: #SCO: The "No Limits" partnership meet in Samarkand & What is to be done? Sarang Shidore, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Weifeng Zhong, Mercatus Center. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-xi-jinping-and-russias-vladimir-putin-to-showcase-growing-ties-11663243097?mod=hp_lead_pos4
Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/2: #PRC: Russia: #SCO: The "No Limits" partnership meet in Samarkand & What is to be done? Sarang Shidore, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Weifeng Zhong, Mercatus Center. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-xi-jinping-and-russias-vladimir-putin-to-showcase-growing-ties-11663243097?mod=hp_lead_pos4
Weifeng Zhong, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, talks to us today about the distinction between misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda. He leads us through his story of discovering the Tiananmen Square Massacre and how it led to the Policy Change Index project. We talk about hopes and fears for the future, along with some differences between the United States and China.
Weifeng Zhong, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, talks to us today about the distinction between misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda. He leads us through his story of discovering the Tiananmen Square Massacre and how it led to the Policy Change Index project. We talk about hopes and fears for the future, along with some differences between the United States and China.
Olivia Enos of the Heritage Foundation speaks with Mark Melton about how the Chinese government has been snuffing out liberty in Hong Kong. She discusses the recent arrests of Cardinal Zen and pro-democracy advocates and explains what they mean for religious liberty in the city-state. She also analyzes the Vatican's deal with the Chinese Communist Party and warns the Catholic Church against improving relations with the Beijing regime. Enos wrote an article for Providence making the case that the United States government should give Hong Kong refugees “Priority-2 Status,” so she explains what this means, why it is necessary, and how the Biden administration could make this change immediately. After traveling to Europe, Enos noticed how European governments were not taking the China threat seriously as both Republicans and Democrats in America do. So she discussed the dangers of Europe being too lax on the CCP and does not take the US warnings seriously. Even though there is bipartisan consensus that China is a threat to US foreign policy interests, she explains how the Biden administration's approach to Beijing has been mixed. Uighurs still face unprecedented persecution in China, and last fall Congress passed the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act—which Christine McDaniel and Weifeng Zhong discussed on the Foreign Policy ProvCast in February. As part of the process to implement that Act, Congress has been listening to public comments, including from Enos. She explains where this Act stands today and other developments with the Uighur genocide. Here are some of the mentioned articles, reports, and podcasts: “The Latest Arrests of Pro-Democracy Leaders in Hong Kong Lend Urgency to Extending Refugee Status to Persecuted Hong Kongers,” by Olivia Enos in Providence: https://providencemag.com/2022/05/latest-arrests-pro-democracy-leaders-hong-kong-lend-urgency-extending-refugee-status-to-persecuted-hong-kongers-cardinal-joseph-zen/ “Will Europe Ignore U.S. Warnings About China Like They Ignored Warnings of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine?” by Olivia Enos in Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/windriver/2022/05/06/the-art-of-defense-mitigating-cyber-exposure-with-threat-modeling/?sh=48be56cc4b15 Foreign Policy ProvCast, Ep. 74 | America's New Law on Forced Labor in Xinjiang, featuring Christine McDaniel and Weifeng Zhong in Providence: https://providencemag.com/podcast/foreign-policy-provcast-ep-74-americas-new-law-on-forced-labor-in-xinjiang/ “The Battle for China's Spirit,” by Sarah Cook in FreedomHouse: https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/FH_ChinasSprit2016_FULL_FINAL_140pages.pdf “Uyghur County in China Has Highest Prison Rate in World,” by Huizhong Wu and Dake Kang in Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/china-prisons-uyghurs-religion-0dd1a31f9be29d32c584543af4698955
Photo: The esteemed elder Pao Cheng (Communist transliteration: Bao Zheng) was a Chinese politician during the reign of Emperor Renzong in China's Sung Dynasty. During his twenty-five years in civil service, Bao consistently demonstrated extreme honesty and uprightness, with actions such as sentencing his own uncle, impeaching an uncle of the emperor's favourite concubine and punishing powerful families. His appointment from 1057 to 1058 as the prefect of Sung's capital Kaifeng, where he initiated a number of changes better to hear the grievances of the people, made him a legendary figure. During his years in office, he gained the honorific title Justice Pao (包青天) due to his ability to help peasants overcome corruption. 包拯画像 #PRC: The lockdowns and the elderly. Weifeng Zhong @Mercatus https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/fed-up-with-covid-lockdown-bankers-fund-managers-looking-to-leave-shanghai/ar-AAWBzbQ?ocid=BingNewsSearch
Photo: Parade in Huế #Vietnam: Strategic opportunity for the US. Weifeng Zhong @Mercatus https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/https:/www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/meet-vietnam-americas-most-undervalued-partner-in-the-indo-pacific
Weifeng Zhong and Christine McDaniel of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University talk with Mark Melton about the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. They cover how forced labor in China works and how the world knows this is happening. Zhong and McDaniel also discuss potential difficulties with how the law might be implemented and the dilemmas the US government and various businesses will face. For example, there may be potential issues with the evidentiary process and interim products. Finally, Zhong describes how people in China view the problem of forced labor in their country.
Dr. Weifeng Zhong grew up in China and attended college at Shantou University in Guangdong. He then went to University of Hong Kong, where he saw the “Pillar of Shame” about the Tiananmen Square Massacre for the first time and it changed his worldview. He has since founded the “Policy Change Index” Project to track China's propaganda machine with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Dr. Weifeng Zhong is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dr. Weifeng Zhong joins the show to discuss the latest news from China.
Todd kicks off the show joined by Joel Zinberg, a doctor and lawyer in New York to speak on his perspective on this stage of COVID, and how to react to the aftermath of Delta and Omicron. Then, Todd is joined by Weifeng Zhong to speak on the US and China relations, and the stark noticeable difference seen in the approach comparing Trump to Biden. Tune in weekdays 2-6 PM EST on WTIC Newstalk 1080 ;or on the new Audacy app! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Chinese Communist Party elevated president Xi Jinping into the pantheon of revered leaders, alongside Deng and Mao. This means the autocratic Xi is now poised to extend his rule for at least another 5-year term, as he faces no serious opposition. Like all nations and all people, China and Xi are using a revised history to chart the way forward in their rivalry with the United States, drawing on the past to guide policy today. This includes maintaining Mao's historic stature despite his fanatical campaigns that left millions dead. In this episode, Weifeng Zhong of the Mercatus Center takes us inside China's fascinating politics, and offers his analysis on the recent summit between President Biden and Xi.
Dr. Weifeng Zhong joins the show to discuss China uses mockups of U.S. naval carriers as possible targets.
Photo: Painting of the 1758 Battle of Oroi-Jalatu, in which the Ch`ing defeated the Dzungar. PRC prepares the public for conflict. Weifeng Zhong @Mercatus https://www.newsweek.com/china-holds-military-drills-near-taiwan-calls-us-visit-island-serious-violation-1647956
Forced labor camps have been embedded in Chinese politics since the birth of the People's Republic of China. Mao Zedong created and instituted these camps to terrorize and indoctrinate anyone who didn't “fall in line.” Today these camps are more prevalent than ever. Not only are they hothouses for indoctrination and torture, but the products they produce are sold globally, generating more profit for the communist regime. In this episode, Eric Kohn, Acton's director of communications, sits down with Weifeng Zhong, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to discuss Dr. Zhong's troubling research.Subscribe to Acton Line, Acton Unwind, & Acton Vault The China Challenge: The West Struggles To Respond To Beijing's Forced-Labor CampsWeifeng Zhong, Author at Discourse See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Weifeng Zhong, China Propaganda Analyst and Expert, discusses the trends in Chinese Propaganda, such as the recent promoting of a “strong military” in its national newspaper, a trend that hasn't been seen from the CCP for many years, is likely due to the recent US abandonment of Afghanistan, saying an attack on Taiwan now is a “valid concern”, as “credibility matters in current affairs”.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Photo: 1/2 Xi Jinping's Forced Labor Camps; & What is to be done? Christine McDaniel @christinemcdan; @mercatus : International trade economist. Sr research Fellow for American Economy & Globalization Program; and Weifeng Zhong, @Mercatus https://www.discoursemagazine.com/politics/2021/08/23/the-china-challenge-the-west-struggles-to-respond-to-beijings-forced-labor-camps/
Photo: 2/2 Xi Jinping's Forced Labor Camps; & What is to be done? Christine McDaniel @christinemcdan; @mercatus : International trade economist. Sr research Fellow for American Economy & Globalization Program; and Weifeng Zhong, @Mercatus https://www.discoursemagazine.com/politics/2021/08/23/the-china-challenge-the-west-struggles-to-respond-to-beijings-forced-labor-camps/
Photo: Political slogan by Red Guards on the campus of Fudan University, Shanghai, China says "Defend Central Committee with (our) blood and life! Defend Chairman Mao with (our) blood and life!" China reverses agitprop on the Taliban. Weifeng Zhong @Mercatus
That recent Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's report on federal cybersecurity has cyber experts worried. It found that seven departments hadn't fixed serious deficiencies the same committee identified two years earlier. For what it means in terms of spying, Tom Temin talked with Weifeng Zhong, a senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Photo: One of the earliest recorded instances of the use of rockets was as military weapons against the Mongols by the Chinese at the siege of Kai Fung Foo in 1232 A.D. An arrow with a tube of gunpowder produced an arrow of flying fire. The Mongol attackers fled in terror, even though the rockets were inaccurate and relatively harmless. Weifeng Zhong @Mercatus Xi weaponizes space. https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/04/14/china-aims-to-weaponize-space-says-intel-community-report/
Dr. Weifeng Zhong joins the show to discuss Chinese Influence.
I'm joined by Dr. Weifeng Zhong, who came to understand at an early age the power of Chinese communist propaganda. He has an incredible life story and his professional journey began after learning for himself the truth of Tiananmen Square.
As the Chinese Communist Party marks its 100th anniversary, its leaders are using history to explain where the nation has been and where it intends to go. President Xi Jinping, eager to consolidate his authoritarian power, is paying his respects to Mao, conveniently ignoring the decades of violent chaos Mao instigated during his terrible reign. But Chinese youth are also looking to Chairman Mao for guidance -- for different reasons. They feel alienated in a society that is leaving them behind, where economic inequality is rampant and political freedoms scarce. Mercatus Center analyst Weifeng Zhong, an expert on Chinese domestic policy, joins the podcast to discuss China's contradictions and complexities.
Photo: No known restrictions on publication.CBS Eye on the World with John BatchelorCBS Audio Network@BatchelorshowCongress seeks protection from China & What is to be done? Weifeng Zhong @Mercatushttps://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/25/chip-shortage-democrats-gop-team-up-to-target-china.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/05/24/senate-science-technology-bill/
China’s rise and determination to become the preeminent global economic and military power is one of the most complex foreign policy issues facing the United States today. On this episode of Across the States, Matthew Fisher sits down with Dr. Weifeng Zhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and Karla Jones, Senior Director of Federalism and International Relations at ALEC, to discuss current challenges between the two nations and optimal US responses. Weifeng Zhong’s previous Across the States podcast on Chinese propaganda https://podcast.alec.org/37Taiwan Ambassador Bi-khim Hsiao’s presentation to the Federalism & International Relations Task Force https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dxS0_l8BtWfxpAFaFpRoCKEEWyv4bzDg/viewPresident Tsai Ing-wen’s acceptance of ALEC’s International Pioneer award at 2020 SNPS https://www.alec.org/article/2020-alec-international-pioneer-award-goes-to-taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen/ Across the States podcast with then Executive Director of the Victims of Communism Foundation discussing the Uyghurs & Hong Kong https://podcast.alec.org/63 Article on China’s National Security law which was used to upend democratic institutions in Hong Kong https://www.alec.org/article/china-implements-national-security-law-that-threatens-to-violate-hong-kongs-sovereignty/ The Economist article declaring Taiwan the most dangerous place on the planet. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/05/01/the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth Weifeng Zhong’s Discourse Article on China:https://www.discoursemagazine.com/ideas/2021/05/12/the-china-challenge-enjoying-key-advantages-the-mainland-may-soon-overtake-the-u-s/ Mercatus Center Policy Index https://policychangeindex.org/
On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Dr. Weifeng Zhong, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Culture Editor Emily Jashinsky to discuss the Biden administration’s approach to China and how the U.S. should interact with the communist regime.
On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Dr. Weifeng Zhong, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Culture Editor Emily Jashinsky to discuss the Biden administration’s approach to China and how the U.S. should interact with the communist regime.
Subscribe: iTunes, Android, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, and RSS.In this episode of the Data Exchange I speak with Weifeng Zhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He is the core maintainer of the open source Policy Change Index (PCI), a framework that uses machine learning and NLP to “process and read” large amounts of text to discern government priorities and policies. The initial PCI is focused on major policy shifts in China and uses NLP and machine learning to process and analyze the People's Daily.Detailed show notes can be found on The Data Exchange web site.Subscribe to The Gradient Flow Newsletter.