You're listening to a podcast from the BBC World Service. This is Hard Talk with me, Stephen Sacker.

Thanks for downloading this edition of the program. I do hope you enjoy it.

My guest today has had a ringside seat from which to observe arguably the greatest geopolitical shift of the last 50 years.

The remarkable rise of China as a global, economic and

strategic superpower. Victor Gao was lucky enough to be in the first class of Chinese students

to be allowed to study at university after the dark years of Mao's cultural revolution.

He studied English. His abilities got him a job as interpreter for the architect of Mao's cultural revolution. He studied English. His abilities got him a job as interpreter

for the architect of China's post-Mao economic resurgence, Deng Xiaoping. Gao was there as

Deng met Reagan, Thatcher and other world leaders and delivered his message of reform and economic

cooperation. Much has happened since then.

30 years ago, the suppression of the pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square

revealed the determination of the Communist Party to maintain its iron grip on power.

China's economic miracle has continued to unfold,

but the country's current president, Xi Jinping,

is pursuing a more authoritarian nationalist agenda, both at home and abroad.

Victor Gao is now a well-connected think tank analyst in Beijing. Is his country preparing to

fight and win a battle for global supremacy?

Well, he joins me now.

Victor Gow, welcome to Hard Talk.

Thank you for having me.

As I just observed, it is 30 years this year since the suppression of those Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protest.

Much has changed in economic terms over the past 30 years,

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