How to become a dictator
Louisa Wells
<p>Uncle Xi, Chairman of Everything, China’s CEO, Mao 2.0, Winnie the Pooh, Steamed Bun. </p><p>Chinese leader Xi Jinping has many names, but what do we really know about him? The Telegraph’s award-winning China Correspondent Sophia Yan is going to find out - but this might be her toughest assignment yet. Wish her luck.</p><p><br></p><p>Another series from Sophia Yan is available on this feed, Hong Kong Silenced: </p><p>Mass arrests. Newspaper raids. Banned protests. Activists fleeing into exile. A curriculum designed to brainwash. The Telegraph’s award-winning China Correspondent Sophia Yan tells the inside story of how life in Hong Kong was turned upside down in just one year.</p>
- 1 minute 52 secondsTrailer: The rise of China's military and what it means for Taiwan
How significant is China’s military buildup? What does Xi Jinping’s ongoing purge mean for the People’s Liberation Army? And how likely is an invasion of Taiwan in the next few years?
Dive into the strengths and weaknesses of China’s military and its remarkable transformation over the last few decades from obsolete to world-class in a three-part mini series with Battle Lines host Venetia Rainey.
As the US pivots to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of a truly global war looms, understanding the evolving role of China’s military on the world stage has never been more important.
Featuring insights from the world's top China experts, including: Dr Phillip Saunders and Joel Wuthnow from the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, Oriana Skylar Mastro from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, Meia Nouwens from the China Programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Timothy Heath at RAND, Amanda Hsiao at Eurasia Group, and The Telegraph’s Asia Correspondent Allegra Mendelson.
Search 'Battle Lines China' wherever you get your podcasts to listen now.
Or Telegraph subscribers can find all episodes here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/08/battle-lines-podcast-inside-the-rise-of-chinas-military/
https://linktr.ee/BattleLines
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1 September 2025, 2:03 pm - 45 minutes 20 seconds5: What next for China and Xi Jinping?
Spoiler Alert. Make sure you're fully caught up on the series before listening to this bonus episode.
Join the Telegraph's award-winning China correspondent Sophia Yan and senior foreign correspondent Roland Oliphant as they explore how likely a conflict for Taiwan is, what we've learned from the G20 this week and how long Xi Jinping will really last.
We also catch up with Sophia about what life has been like since leaving China.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/dictator |
Read How to build a democratic dictatorship, by Sophia Yan |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of China: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/ |
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18 November 2022, 5:11 pm - 39 minutes 33 seconds4: Build a superpower
A look inside how Xi Jinping has turned China into a superpower to rival the US, by growing its military and taking an increasingly aggressive approach to expanding Chinese influence abroad, from Taiwan and the South China Sea to spies in the UK and US. Meanwhile, The Telegraph’s Sophia Yan is forced to make a difficult decision about her future in Beijing.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/dictator |
Read How to build a democratic dictatorship, by Sophia Yan |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of China: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/ |
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9 November 2022, 6:00 pm - 39 minutes3: Create a personality cult
A look inside how Xi Jinping permeates every aspect of daily life in China, from the streets to schools to people’s phones. The extraordinary new levels of propaganda and censorship under him mean one thing: he is turning himself into Mao Zedong 2.0. Meanwhile, The Telegraph’s Sophia Yan deals with the increasingly grim reality of reporting in China.
Archive used in this episode from: CCTV, CNN, Sky News, BBC News
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/dictator |
Read How to build a democratic dictatorship, by Sophia Yan |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of China: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/ |
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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1 November 2022, 12:30 am - 44 minutes 23 seconds2: Order a crackdown
Xi Jinping is in power, and he immediately kicks off a campaign to clear up corruption in China. But he doesn’t stop there. Soon human rights activists, Uyghurs, and even former allies are disappearing off the streets with no explanation. Meanwhile, The Telegraph’s Sophia Yan wrestles with China’s strict Zero Covid policy while in quarantine.
Archive used in this episode from: CCTV, CGTN, CBS, ABC
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/dictator |
Read How to build a democratic dictatorship, by Sophia Yan |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of China: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/|
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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24 October 2022, 11:30 pm - 35 minutes 31 seconds1: Live in a cave
A deep dive into Xi Jinping’s younger years, from being sent to a cave to do manual labour during the Cultural Revolution, to his dark family history. As Xi rises through the party, hints of his manifesto begin to emerge. Meanwhile, The Telegraph’s Sophia Yan begins her journey trying to get back into China.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/dictator |
Read How to build a democratic dictatorship, by Sophia Yan |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of China: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/|
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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17 October 2022, 11:30 pm - 42 minutes 8 seconds4: Hong Kong Silenced: Two Paths
A year on from Beijing’s National Security Law, Hong Kong has been silenced. Or has it? Whether laying low in the city, in jail, or in exile, the Hong Kongers at the heart of our story take the long view and reflect on what’s next for the city.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |
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20 July 2021, 11:30 pm - 34 minutes 20 seconds3: Hong Kong Silenced: Loyalty
Beijing steps up its crackdown on Hong Kong, reaching behind closed doors to silence people’s private conversations, even their very thoughts. As the scope of the law becomes clear, a mother makes a difficult decision.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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13 July 2021, 11:30 pm - 35 minutes2: Hong Kong Silenced: Blank Paper
A sweeping new law changes everything overnight, leaving Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protest movement exposed and vulnerable - but unwilling to give up the fight. As the noose tightens, some are arrested, while others choose to flee into exile.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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6 July 2021, 11:30 pm - 40 minutes 13 seconds1: Hong Kong Silenced: Add Oil
As Hong Kong is engulfed by the biggest pro-democracy protests in its modern history, hopes rise that people power will win the day and safeguard the city’s unique way of life. But Beijing has other plans.
Get 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silenced |
Read more from Sophia Yan: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/s/sk-so/sophia-yan/ |
Read more from Nicola Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/nf-nj/nicola-smith/ |
Read more of The Telegraph's coverage of Hong Kong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/hong-kong/ |
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 June 2021, 11:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App