The Public Square
What does China want?
Money and Macro podcast
(March 19, 2026)
Jackie Wong, Zenobia Chan, and I were invited on this very good podcast to talk about what China wants; why China is more status-quo than revisionist; and many other issues about China, the global economy, and the U.S. Dr. Joeri Schasfoort was an excellent host and interviewer!
China's ambitions are narrower than Washington thinks
(East Asia Forum,
January 10, 2026)
Jackie Wong, Zenobia Chan, and I continue to point out that China is not the existential threat many think it is, in East Asia Forum.
What does China Want? A discussion with Jackie S.H. Wong, Zenobia T Chan, and Jake Werner
(the Quincy Institute, September 25, 2025)
The Quincy Institute -- where I am a non-resident fellow - hosted me and my coauthors, Jackie Wong and Zenobia Chan, to discuss China's goals (September 25, 2025).
Asia's Great Power Wars: Lessons from Imperial History for Today
(ChinaTalk podcast, February 13, 2025)
A wonderful interview with
Jordan Schneider, Ilari Mäkel, and Lily Ottinger about East Asian history (February 13, 2025)
Quoted in an article about how the DC establishment embraced Yoon despite obvious warning signs.
David Kang is quoted in the New York Times about the coup/martial law fiasco in Korea
David Kang is quoted -- as an outside the beltway pundit! -- in a piece that explores why some DC insiders were muted in their criticisms of Yoon's coup attempt
David Kang, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and Paul Heer discuss changing US-China relations
A debate with John Mearsheimer: Should the United States Contain China?
John Mearsheimer and David Kang
(December 16, 2021)
A debate between me and John Mearsheimer -- I think I won!
Quincy Institute, December 16, 2021
October 2017
China is under-reacting to the US attack on Iran
Who What Why podcast
(March 13, 2026)
Jeff Schechtman invited me back on his podcast to talk about how China is under-reacting to the US attack on Iran. I point out that China does not view its relations the same way the US does, and it will probably not intervene to help Iran more than diplomatically. "Strategic patience," if you will.
Former Singaporean ambassador Kishore Mahbubani interviews me about China, Southeast Asia, and the U.S.
(November 28, 2025)
We talked at length about China as a more status quo than revisionist power and what that means for Southeast Asia in particular. A wonderful interview with a very, very smart guy.
What does China Want? The authors of a new paper challenge the DC consensus
(Sinica podcast,
September 2, 2025)
An incisive interview with
Kaiser Kuo and my coauthors, Jackie Wong and Zenobia Chan, about our recent IS paper about China's goals (September 2, 2025)
An interview with Busan radio about Yoon's awful attempt at a coup d'etat...
David Kang is interviewed by Marta Chiusi, Lena Fargier, and Alexander Droop of the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm.
A podcast where David Kang talks with Ilari Mäkelä about his new book with Xinru Ma, "Beyond Power Transitions."
David Kang talks with Marco Werman about the Korean armistice, the DMZ, and the tragedy that is the continued division of the peninsula.
David Kang and Neil Thomas discuss Taiwan and US-China relations
What America gets wrong about China
(Big Think video
July 19, 2018)
A short video from almost eight years ago -- and I think it holds up very well about China and how we misunderstand what is going on in East Asia.
Big Think, July 19, 2018
Ethics and Public Life program of Cornell University, February 2, 2012
We Are All Wrong About China. We’re Creating the Enemy We Fear
Who What Why podcast
(Feb 20, 2026)
A podcast with Jeff Schechtman about how the US is creating a more dangerous China than exists. Great questions and an interesting discussion.
Interview with Michael Holmes about China's intentions
Nach Denk Seiten
(October 28, 2025)
This interview is also with a review (in German) of our article and some of my other scholarship. Very honored to be taken so seriously. The interesting thing about this is that you have to put the "source language" as German in order to hear my actual voice! Otherwise AI gets in the way. Great interview and article, though -- check them out!
South Korea will not Choose between the U.S. and China
(with Kyuri Park,
The National Interest,
June 26, 2025)
The awesome Kyuri Park and I discuss new SK president Lee Jae-myung's foreign policy in The National Interest (June 26, 2025)
China’s rise may not be antithetical to U.S. interests, scholar says
David Kang is quoted about the DC Blob in an article examining Yoon's coup attempt.
A short, fifteen-minute YouTube video of David Kang's interview with Ilari Mäkelä about his new book with Xinrua Ma, "Beyond Power Transitions" (I didn't realize they would record video, I would have worn a suit otherwise!)
David Kang talks with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich about North Korea
Lessons learned from the Ukraine Crisis
Radio Open Source, March 17, 2022
Is a War with China Inevitable?
(Big Think video,
August 9, 2018)
Another short video on why the predictions of impending war between the US and China are overblown. Again, I stand by my analysis! Big Think, August 9, 2018
An Overview of Korea
April 26, 2012