In our new series—China Rules—we look at how China is a global exporter, not just of goods, but also of standards, ideas, technologies and mechanisms of control. We’re starting with politics, and whether China is exporting its brand of “smart authoritarianism”. China’s heady mix of extractive political institutions and pro-growth economic policies makes for an attractive recipe to would-be imitators, just as China borrowed these ideas from South Korea and Singapore. Coupled with its edge in AI, digital surveillance and emerging technologies, China has moved from a passive exemplar to marketing—and profiting from—its blueprint for staying in power. Louisa and Graeme are joined by Jennifer Lind from Dartmouth College, the author of Autocracy 2.0: How China’s Rise Re-Invented Tyranny, and Bethany Allen from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and author of Beijing Rules: China's Quest for Global Influence.

Image: China’s Police Liaison Team demonstrates martial arts during a community engagement event in Honiara, Solomon Islands. RFA/AFP/Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), June 2025

Transcripts available at https://ciw.anu.edu.au/podcasts/little-red-podcast

In our new series&mdash;China Rules&mdash;we look at how China is a global exporter, not just of goods, but also of standards, ideas, technologies and mechanisms of control. We&rsquo;re starting with politics, and whether China is exporting its brand of &ldquo;smart authoritarianism&rdquo;. China&rsquo;s heady mix of extractive political institutions and pro-growth economic policies makes for an attractive recipe to would-be imitators, just as China borrowed these ideas from South Korea and Singapore. Coupled with its edge in AI, digital surveillance and emerging technologies, China has moved from a passive exemplar to marketing&mdash;and profiting from&mdash;its blueprint for staying in power. Louisa and Graeme are joined by Jennifer Lind from Dartmouth College, the author of Autocracy 2.0: How China&rsquo;s Rise Re-Invented Tyranny, and Bethany Allen from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and author of Beijing Rules: China's Quest for Global Influence.
Image: China&rsquo;s Police Liaison Team demonstrates martial arts during a community engagement event in Honiara, Solomon Islands. RFA/AFP/Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), June 2025
Transcripts available at <a href="https://ciw.anu.edu.au/podcasts/little-red-podcast">https://ciw.anu.edu.au/podcasts/little-red-podcast</a>

The Little Red Podcast: interviews and chat celebrating China beyond the Beijing beltway. Hosted by Graeme Smith, China studies academic at the Australian National University's Department of Pacific Affairs and Louisa Lim, former China correspondent for the BBC and NPR, now with the Centre for Advancing Journalism at Melbourne University. We are the 2018 winners of podcast of the year in the News & Current Affairs category of the Australian Podcast Awards. Follow us @limlouisa and @GraemeKSmith, and find show notes at www.facebook.com/LittleRedPodcast/

The Little Red Podcast: interviews and chat celeb…

The Little Red Podcast

Awardwinning interviews and chat celebrating China beyond the Beijing beltway. Hosted by Graeme Smith, China studies academic at the Australian National University's Department of Pacific Affairs and Louisa Lim, former China correspondent for the BBC and NPR, now with the Centre for Advancing Journalism at Melbourne University. We are the 2018 winners of podcast of the year in the News & Current Affairs category of the Australian Podcast Awards and we're funded by the Australian National University's Centre on China in the World. Find us on your favourite platforms: we're on Stitcher, Spotify and even Podbean. Follow us @limlouisa and @GraemeKSmith, and find show notes at www.facebook.com/LittleRedPodcast/. Our editor is the Saturday Paper's Andy Hazel (@AndyRickie), background research is by the Asia Society's Julia Bergin (@juliabergin1) and Xu Chong (@ChongXuCheng), our stirring theme tune was composed by Susie Wilkins (@susiewilkins) and our iconic art is courtesy of Seb Danta (@SebDanta).

Awardwinning interviews and chat celebrating China beyond the Beijing beltway. Hosted by Graeme Smith, China studies academic at the Australian National University's Department of Pacific Affairs and Louisa Lim, former China correspondent for the BBC and NPR, now with the Centre for Advancing Journalism at Melbourne University. We are the 2018 winners of podcast of the year in the News &amp; Current Affairs category of the Australian Podcast Awards and we're funded by the Australian National University's Centre on China in the World. Find us on your favourite platforms: we're on Stitcher, Spotify and even Podbean. Follow us @limlouisa and @GraemeKSmith, and find show notes at www.facebook.com/LittleRedPodcast/. Our editor is the Saturday Paper's Andy Hazel (@AndyRickie), background research is by the Asia Society's Julia Bergin (@juliabergin1) and Xu Chong (@ChongXuCheng), our stirring theme tune was composed by Susie Wilkins (@susiewilkins) and our iconic art is courtesy of Seb Danta (@SebDanta).