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Free Thinking: Japanese History, Chinese Democarcy

Zhang Weiwei, one of China's foremost public intellectuals, talks to Rana Mitter about why China should not become a democracy. And as rising tensions between China and Japan...

Zhang Weiwei, one of China's foremost public intellectuals, talks to Rana Mitter about why China should not become a democracy. And as rising tensions between China and Japan continue to dominate headlines in East Asia, we hear from two young journalists, Mariko Oi and Haining Liu.
Finally the author of 'Bending Adversity: Japan and the Art of Survival' David Pilling and historian Naoko Shimazu reflect on Japan's historic ability to re-invent itself and why it needs that skill more than ever at the present time.

Release date:

45 minutes

Discussions and talks from the Free Thinking Festival 2019

Discussions and talks from the Free Thinking Festival 2019

Angry politics, what we can鈥檛 say, being diplomatic, weeping, emotion in music, film & TV

Click to listen to discussions, talks and music as the Free Thinking Festival 2019 Gets Emotional

Click to listen to discussions, talks and music as the Free Thinking Festival 2019 Gets Emotional

Angry politics, what we can鈥檛 say, being diplomatic, weeping, emotion in music, film & TV

CLICK to LISTEN & SEE programmes from the Free Thinking Festival 2018: The One & the Many

CLICK to LISTEN & SEE programmes from the Free Thinking Festival 2018: The One & the Many

We examine the fast-changing relationship between the individual & the crowd

CLICK to LISTEN & SEE all programmes, images, clips & features from 2017's festival

Free Thinking Festival 2017: The Speed of Life

Podcast