Kaiser Kuo

American-Chinese journalist, author, and musician. Co-founder and host of the Sinica Podcast (The China Project), the longest-running English-language podcast on Chinese affairs, founded in 2010. Former head of international communications at Baidu (2010–2016). Based in the United States.

Known for accessible, historically grounded China analysis pitched at non-specialists. Edited Baidu Encyclopedia and writes on Chinese rock music alongside political affairs.

Appearances

• Kaiser Kuo, Eric Olander, Andrew Polk, and Lizzy Lee on the Geneva Trade Truce, the J-10C Dogfight, and China in Latin America (China Talking Points Ep 1, May 2025)
• Kaiser Kuo, Eric Olander, and Andrew Polk on China's 15th Five-Year Plan, ASEAN Realignment, and the Collapse of the Trade Truce (China Talking Points Ep 2, May 2025)

Key positions

• China’s five-year plans function as KPI frameworks and “funco” (directional) policy signals, not Soviet-style production mandates.
• Elite overproduction — too many graduates for too few professional jobs — is structurally distinct from the ageing/manual-labour shortage problem and will be a decade-long dislocation.
• The US political system’s short-termism (four-year election cycles, no cross-administration continuity) is a structural disadvantage relative to China’s ability to plan and execute multi-decade strategy.