Is the Global Order Changing? A China Expert Explains - Dr. Zeno Leoni

Is the current global order changing? If so, in what direction? In today’s podcast, Dr. Zeno Leoni — Lecturer in Defence Studies at King’s College London, based at the Joint Services and Staff College (JSCSC) of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom — joins Olivia Prisco, our Digital Design & Experience Intern, for a conversation on great power competition, China, and how the global order is shifting in real time. Dr. Leoni’s work focuses on U.S. and Chinese grand strategy, AUKUS, and the broader dynamics shaping today’s international system. As competition between major powers intensifies, alliances, institutions, and long-term strategy are all being redefined. He has authored multiple books on these topics and is currently working on a third exploring what many describe as a new Cold War. Beyond academia, he is closely engaged with the policy world. He supported the Italian Joint Chiefs of Defence Staff in developing Italy’s Future Trends Concept 2040+, helping assess the geopolitical, technological, environmental, and economic forces that are likely to shape the decades ahead. At the Joint Services and Staff College, he teaches senior military leaders — including generals from Five Eyes countries — on China and global strategy, while also lecturing at Italy’s highest defence education institutions. In this episode, his insights bring both academic depth and real-world relevance to one of the defining questions of our time.