Peking Hotel: An Oral History Project

Every interview, every story, every quiet recollection means more because you’re here reading, thinking, and sharing along with us. Thank you for being part of this journey — for your curiosity, your care, and your belief that history matters.

Here’s to the next 2,000.

Many gems in our conversations. Look forward to continuing this series!

对话刘亚伟｜纪念卡特总统：当民主选举走进村委会 “这是中国的‘第三次农村革命”。至少当年人们以为是这样。

没有政治制度上的演变，中国的经济、社会、文化、国际关系等问题就无法打开局面，持续卡在死胡同里走不出来。而当有一天政治的周期重新回摆“开放”之时，像今天将谈论的农村选举和国际NGO所积累的经验教训或许将再一次回到公众视野，助推新一轮的政治发展。

刘亚伟老师是卡特中心中国项目主任。他本科在西安外语学院学习英语文学，1987年来到美国攻读硕士，1996年获得艾默里大学美国历史博士学位。他曾七次陪同卡特总统会见中国最高领导人，并编纂了多部有关基层民主的书籍。

2024年12月29日下午，卡特总统与世长辞。卡特推动了中美建交，打破了僵局，为两国关系迈出了关键一步。尽管在美国和中国的政治环境中，建交仍是争议话题，但卡特的决定深远影响着今天与未来。

除了外交，卡特还通过卡特中心与中国共同推动农村选举与治理，为中国乡村政治改革贡献力量。今天的嘉宾刘亚伟老师，曾是该项目的重要人物之一。

#JimmyCarter #CarterCenter #USChina

China’s Spiritual Revival and the Rise (and Fall) of Falun Gong — with Ian Johnson The Pulitzer-winning writer recalls his reporting on Falun Gong at the end of 1990s.

In our latest conversation, Ian takes us back to China’s spiritual revival of the ‘80s and ‘90s—a time of rebuilding temples, churches, and mosques, and the rise (and fall) of Falun Gong, a movement of faith, manipulation, and repression.

A Pulitzer Prize winner, Ian has written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, and more. He’s also a Neiman Fellow and the founder of the China Unofficial Archives, preserving banned books, films, and documents.

Journalist and writer @iandenisjohnson.bsky.social has spent decades documenting China’s civil society and religion. From Wild Grass to Sparks, his work uncovers China’s hidden stories.

The death of U.S.-China engagement and the political future of China — with Susan Shirk "I know that the level of dissatisfaction is high. It’s not stable. I can’t predict what will happen, but when it happens, I won’t be surprised."

Beyond Trump, this conversation explores:
· Missed opportunities and turning points in U.S.-China relations
· Xi Jinping’s political consolidation and its long-term impact
· China’s future after Xi and what it means for global stability
· Personal insights on key Chinese foreign policy figures

While many see Trump as hawkish on China, Susan raises the possibility of renewed engagement, noting that historically, anti-communist U.S. presidents like Nixon and Reagan have been the ones to open dialogue.

Could history repeat itself?

In our latest interview, Prof. Susan Shirk shares her firsthand experiences and insights.

Recorded last summer—before Trump’s election—her perspective remains highly relevant.

What will Trump do about China?

To answer this, we need to revisit the recent history of U.S.-China relations, the political forces shaping both countries, and the broader geopolitical landscape.

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How NATO Accidentally Bombed The Chinese Embassy in Belgrade - with Susan Shirk “The problem was that the Chinese government and people had huge respect for American competence, and they believed that it was impossible for us to make a mistake like this.”

Many other things were happening around the same time: Jiang Zemin’s state visit in the U.S., #WTO negotiations, Taiwan’s democratisation, Falun Gong Protests at Zhongnanhai, the Asian Financial Crisis — and we will cover all of it in today’s excerpt, which was edited for clarity and brevity.

As Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Prof. Susan Shirk had a direct hand in the diplomatic crisis and its aftermath. For part 2, she shares her inside story, as well as the larger context of U.S.-China relations at the turn of the century.

The Chinese government protested and shut down diplomatic communications with the U.S., and public reports emerged claiming the bombing was intentional and that #China was secretly aiding the Serbs.

#history #Belgrade

On May 7, 1999, during the #KosovoWar, an American B2 stealth bomber dropped bombs on the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, destroying the building and killing three state media journalists. The event immediately provoked strong reactions and suspicions. Was it a mistake? Or was it intentional?

对话戴雅门｜我在中央党校教课的日子 我讲了大约 35或40分钟，然后大家举起了手。我当时心想，完了，我试图小心谨慎，但现在我大概率会被斥责为资本主义和美帝国主义的走狗。

如果你对这篇口述史感兴趣，探究西方对中国认知的变化及其背后的原因，欢迎在Substack上订阅我们的双周刊。

这不仅是一篇关于中央党校的文章。我摘录了与戴雅门五小时对话的内容，他分享了自己在现代化理论、冷战经历及对中国问题的观察。尽管他非中国问题专家，却长期关注中国及大中华地区，从上世纪90年代农村选举到台湾和香港的政治事件。

#冷战 #中国 #台湾 #香港

长期以来，美国被视为民主灯塔。当其光芒减弱，全球民主前景也随之暗淡。在特朗普当选后，回顾戴雅门如何向中国教授政治发展，具有特殊历史意义。

#文革

中央党校是中共中高级官员的主要培训基地，被视为培养党内精英和晋升的摇篮。习近平执政前，它曾以开明和改革著称，流亡学者蔡霞也曾任教于此。然而，立场鲜明的“民主先生”戴雅门竟受邀在这核心机构演讲，令我颇感意外，也意识到他的经历值得被记录。

#民主

WTO Negotiations, life inside State Department, and the peak of American unipolarity — with Susan Shirk The former academic-turned-State Department official talks about how she joined the Clinton administration and took part in the landmark WTO deal with China.

This excerpt highlights her entry into government, human rights diplomacy, and negotiations over China's WTO accession - pivotal moments in U.S.-China relations.

Tap the preview to read more!

#oralhistory #china #uschinarelations #WTO #coldwar #humanrights #diplomacy

From 1997 to 2000, Susan served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Clinton administration, managing U.S. relations with China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mongolia.

#oralhistory #china #uschinarelations #wto #coldwar

A research professor at @ucsandiego.bsky.social School of Global Policy and Strategy, Susan is also director-emeritus of the 21st Century China Center and @ucigcc.bsky.social. She is a leading expert on Chinese elite politics, having observed the country firsthand since the 1970s, from Mao to Xi.

China has a long tradition of "scholar-officials"—intellectuals trained in Confucian values who prioritized community interests before entering government. In many ways, Prof. Susan Shirk embodies this role with an American twist.

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🙏感謝端傳媒的轉載，閱讀中文版，點擊這裡訂閱我們的Newsletter baijingfandian.substack.com