{"podcast":{"title":"The IR thinker","slug":"the-ir-thinker-6691770","podcast_index_feed_id":6691770,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/655776911a7d7e0012cbc914","website_url":"https://shows.acast.com/irthinker","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/cover/1700230788592-f97a89c769205262be6d5629fc306022.jpeg","author":"Martin Zubko","episode_count":122,"summary":"The IR thinker features in-depth interviews with leading experts in international relations. The IR thinker is an independent, non-partisan and non-aligned platform. It hosts a wide range of perspectives on international relations but does not endorse any political party, government or ideological position. Since its first episode in 2023, The IR thinker has produced more than 100 episodes as a pro bono initiative established by Martin Zubko, an international relations scholar and lecturer. Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ir-thinker-6691770"},"episode":{"title":"Understanding China-Russia Relations - Philip Snow | Ep. 6 (2026)","slug":"understanding-china-russia-relations-philip-snow-ep-6-2026","published_at":"2026-03-30T20:43:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ir-thinker-6691770/understanding-china-russia-relations-philip-snow-ep-6-2026","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ir-thinker-6691770","url":"https://www.irthinker.com/understanding-china-russia-relations-philip-snow","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/655776911a7d7e0012cbc914/e/69cae0554bc3c0b5ce595a9f/media.mp3","summary":"This episode features a conversation with the historian Philip Snow on the evolution of relations between Russia and China. Drawing on archival research, the discussion traces the relationship from the early border settlements at Nerchinsk and Kyakhta to contemporary geopolitical and economic cooperation, highlighting how frontier regions such as Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang have shaped interaction between the two powers. The interview examines key turning points, including the Sino-Soviet split, as well as structural constraints (geography, distance, and technology) that have historically limited escalation along the border. It also explores post-Soviet asymmetries, energy interdependence, and projects such as Power of Siberia 2. Finally, the conversation considers the implications of contemporary Sino-Russian alignment, addressing their views on multipolar order, persistent frictions in the Russian Far East, and China’s potential capacity to lead globally without Russia. Philip Snow Philip Snow has been travelling in Russia and China since the 1960s, and has spent nearly two decades researching what is arguably the most consequential bailateral relationship of our era. Selected Publications: Snow, P. (1989). The star raft: China’s encounter with Africa. Cornell University Press. Snow, P. (2003). The Fall of Hong Kong: Britain, China, and the Japanese occupation. Yale University Press. Snow, P. (2023). China and Russia: Four Centuries of conflict and Concord. Yale University Press. Content 00:00 – Introduction 01:10 – Archival Research and Interpreting Russian–Chinese Narratives 06:21 – Nerchinsk and Kyakhta: Origins of Long-Term Stability 10:46 – Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang as Strategic Pivot Zones 14:18 – Mongolia’s Role in Sino-Russian Relations 14:51 –…","meta_description":"This episode features a conversation with the historian Philip Snow on the evolution of relations between Russia and China. Drawing on archival research,…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2993,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-ir-thinker-6691770/episodes/understanding-china-russia-relations-philip-snow-ep-6-2026/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ir-thinker-6691770/understanding-china-russia-relations-philip-snow-ep-6-2026.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}