I subscribed to The Economist mainly for the Drum Tower and appreciate the important topics and engaging content. However, when it comes to Taiwan, a recurring bias seems apparent, portraying Taiwan as wise, moral, and overly vulnerable while the mainland is consistently doing nothing positive. The comparison between Taiwan and Ukraine, and China and Moscow, feels misplaced to me. While Taiwan and the mainland were once part of the same country before their political split, Ukraine and Russia, though deeply intertwined, were separate republics since within the Soviet Union and are distinctly two separate nations. That said, the show is overall excellent, and I’m looking forward to more valuable content!

Dynamic duo offers on the ground insights from locals

I quickly feel in love with Drum Tower when it first debuted and was shocked and irritated to find they have moved to a subscription only model including blocking access to previously free episodes.

It is a pity that The Economist has chosen to start sending unrelated “bonus” podcasts to Drum Tower subscribers. It turns a weekly delight into spam.

Used to be a great podcast, but they switched to a paid model and locked all the old episodes. I was in the middle of listening to something that can’t even finish the episode anymore. I might be willing to pay a little bit to listen to this, but the pricing is pretty ridiculous. And anyway the fact that they would retroactively lock old episodes that used to be free unless you pay is not something I’d support.

I subscribed to The Economist, scoundrels! 🤣, for this podcast. Thanks.

A good podcast. I listened from within China and appreciated a lot of the content. definitely most episodes would be unapproved from within. So definitely a critical western view on China with more wrongs than rights rather than a balanced fair account or culturally interesting stories. The duo of Alice and David should have given a different result. It feels f like Alice and Alice. I am westerner without any nationalistic or pro China agenda I agree with a lot of the content and wish there was also more positive content or content that promote friendship and understanding (see for example the world of Chinese blog and some stories on 6th tone). Anyway after listening to all épisodes including the prince. I felt that becoming a paid subscriber meant I would consume content that mostly views China in a critical way. Asia and its philosophy teaches us about balance.

Hands down the best single source of information about China for Westerners that want news and info about China. Westerners that want to have a more complete and full view of China, must listen to this podcast.

This is a fantastic podcast giving additional insight into China. Congrats on 1 year!

As the hosts mention on their recent one-year looking back episode, one thing that makes this podcast phenomenal is the opportunity for folks like me in the US to hear directly from Chinese people in their own voices. As tensions between the US and China increase, I think podcasts like this are increasingly vital so I can try to understand what is happening in China without being told all bad news or all good news. There is a striving for honest and nuanced coverage and I appreciate what is done on a weekly basis to bring the big picture into clarity by listening to smaller slices of life. The understanding of China in the US is not very detailed. I truly appreciate having the context, interviews, and cultural explanations shared with me so I can attempt to understand China better.

Shifted to a pay model - they’re being squirrelly about how much they’ll charge but evidently the full price is nearly $50/yr. We’ve plainly hit peak podcast here. I won’t be paying such an exorbitant price for a podcast. It’s a shame, they were doing great work, but ads plus pricey subscription is unreasonable.

Anyone can try telling a story…good or bad but telling a good story a balanced story a story where one follows the TRUTH to wherever it meanders & ducks; well that I leave to Su & David…I salute your work & efforts👊🏿 China is here to stay! Emmanuel Samci

Great episode this week!

Another long dark night driving in South Texas delivering petroleum products and listening to The Economist, I’m a subscriber and I like this podcast on China, every week is like taking a trip around the world reading The Economist.

I have listened for about 6 months. Our hosts are increasingly spinning everything to portray China in a bad light. China haters will love the podcast. I prefer balanced reporting and have unsubscribed.

This is by far my favorite podcast. The reporting is in depth and gives me deep insights on China not available elsewhere. Both hosts are great. Alice Su is so engaging and I love her gentle nudging of the somewhat nerdy but lovable David Rennie. I wish more people in this crazy world would listen to this outstanding reporting to gain a better understanding of the complexities of China.

I listen to a lot of podcasts, but Drum Tower is one I look forward most to. With Chinese language literate hosts in both Beijing and Taipei who are articulate and efficient, I learn something from each episode and always find my time well spent. Many thanks to the hosts and everyone else who contributes!

Please post a link to the tea you recommend!

Always insightful discussions on what’s happening in one of the world’s most important and little understood countries.

When you make references to certain teas or papers from a professor at Stanford, it would be helpful if you provided links in the notes.

Somehow this podcast fees less engaging than another country-focused podcast form The Economist, Checks and Balance.

The two hosts (Alice Su

So many amazing episodes!! The cheapest city episode, “open for business?”, and the Lunar New Year episode, wonderful! I love the episodes that help me feel closer to this amazing nation and people, episodes that have nuanced, compassionate, and delightful dives into all things Chinese, current, fresh. Sometimes I’m disappointed by the hosts complaining about the Chinese government… we all know the government is messed up, we want straight-forward reporting conveying the mistakes and irrationality without having to hear the hosts’ opinions. I LOVE hearing the hosts interview everyday Chinese people for their opinions and feelings.

Every episode is the same free wheeling personal opinion blabbing from the two reporters. It gets old. The lady host lives in Taiwan, not even mainland China. How credible is her reporting or observation on a large country like China?

Wholeheartedly agree with all the other reviews — I’ll just add two small, specific things. It warms my heart every time Alice makes sure to pronounce Chinese words in Chinese in the middle of an English sentence. As someone who speaks Chinese but isn’t very familiar with the lingo of Chinese politics, sometimes I have to pause English reporting to try to figure out what name or phrase they’re saying, and it’s so nice not to have to do that here. I also love how they let you hear residents speaking in Chinese for much longer than most programs like this do, so that you can listen to the substance of what they’re saying instead of just using their voices as atmospherics. These are just little things, but they’re exemplary of the care and excellence that shows up in all aspects of the program!

Especially love the episodes about society and culture (hutongs, poetry etc.)

One of the best podcasts about China

Listening to the “slow train home” episode at work brought me to tears… it’s been 12 years since last time I spent lunar new year in China. Regardless of the regime and social issues, 过年回家 is coded in me I guess.

As someone who works and lives abroad, Drum Tower helps me to see my hometown in a different perspective, also help adapt my past 22 year of experience in China and integrate it into my current life, if that makes any sense.（感觉我的中文人生和英文人生终于相交了！感觉被理解、被看到、被感动了） Unlike other news media, you can feel their love and care for the country (different from the government) in each episode, the level of respect they have to Chinese culture, while examine the problems. I really really appreciate that aspect.

It’s relentlessly interesting, well-produced, and gets right into the heart of China today thanks to superb primary source reporting. Listening to it, you start to think about China as an experiment of 1.4 billion people as well as a sprawling country. Hugely recommended. Bravo.

Great topics and reporting from on the ground in rural and urban China. I have no particular interest in China other than to learn more about it from reporters rather than talking heads. Love the music and soundscape.

This podcast features co-hosts who bring deep expertise and residential knowledge to their stories about what’s happening in China. I love their voices, the production values, and most of all the content. I look forward to every week’s episode!

High quality production with an immersive dive into the intricacies of China. Provides better details and insight beyond the headlines with great hosts who skillfully explain current events to make your smarter.

Introduced as hoping to be fairly balanced, but has slipped into a clear western perspective.

A wonderful in-depth, and detailed look inside China.

Excellent podcast and very insightful.

Great interview with Danny Russell

I’ve learned so much about China and it’s rich history and culture. I’ve learned to appreciate part of my heritage in a new and positive way that I haven’t for most of my life as a multicultural immigrant living in the US. Thank you both for the Prince and this podcast- it truly has been enlightening and interesting. For the reviews who are requesting culinary and other cultural podcasts, keep in mind we’re only two episodes in - “patience my grasshopper”. Keep up the great work- can’t wait for more!

I subscribed to this after listening to the fantastic series that the Economist produced, “The Prince.” Unfortunately, the first episode of this series has already demonstrated bias against right-wing politics and politicians, and even certain ideas of “the West.” I probably will listen in a few more times but if their prejudice continues to seep through, I’ll be unsubscribing.

Very good, but you mentioned food and culture in the description but didn’t deliver, so my idea is to cover some food and culture mixed in with the politics. Thank you!

I appreciate the nuance and the unrelenting coverage of a place that is difficult to cover. Thank you for exposing the issues that are deliberately hidden or censored.

Great information, and a podcast on China (or Asia in general) from The Economist feels necessary. But this first episode’s scripted banter feels… incredibly scripted.

Really looking forward to this!