During September and October 2025, Dori Jones Yang had the honor of being a Viking guest lecturer aboard three back-to-back Viking cruises that each stopped at nine Chinese coastal cities. Hundreds of cruise passengers came to hear Dori’s talks, and many came up to her afterwards with warm comments:  

• “I appreciate how you give the broader picture about China, a point of view we don’t hear at home in the media.”

• “I loved your use of personal stories – about your husband Paul and his childhood and family. That makes it real and relevant to me.”

• “My view of China has changed 180 degrees because of your talks and what I’ve seen of China during this cruise.”

As always, Dori’s goal is to improve the chances of peace through better understanding of China. She makes the case that China does not see itself as our enemy, and we should not see it that way either. Below are links to four of the talks she gave on three Viking cruises, September-October 2025. All are available on her YouTube channel, @Dorimovies.

1. “China’s Innovation and Technology” – Dori’s new talk, based on months of research, answers the question: Is China catching up with, or even surpassing the West in science and technology? From AI, semiconductors, robots, and electric cars, to lunar landings and a space station – all the way to aerospace, defense, and biotechnology: Dori provides an update on the state of competition. She concludes with her ideas on what the U.S. can do to continue to innovate and maintain our competitiveness. You can watch this 2025 Viking lecture by clicking on this link.
2. “China’s Worldview, Values, and Ambitions” – Based in its unique history, China’s worldview and values differ from those of the West, where its economic modernization and military build-up have ignited worries about its ambitions. In this talk, Dori clarifies these differences and explains why it’s vital that we try to better understand China’s perspective on world issues. You can watch this 2025 Viking  version by clicking  on this link.                                                                                                              
3. “How and Why China Grew Strong” – Dori experienced China’s transformation firsthand, reporting from inside China during the years when Deng Xiaoping opened China to world trade, investments, and ideas. In 40 years, China grew from one of the world’s poorest countries to the second largest economy, without fighting a war. Dori examines how and why China defied expectations and grew far faster than expected – embracing capitalism but not democracy.  You can watch this updated 2025 Viking version by clicking on this link.
4.  “Marco Polo: Why Did He Matter?” Based on research she did for her historical novel, Daughter of Xanadu, Dori gave an entertaining talk on Marco Polo’s travels in the late 1200s. She ends with the world-changing inventions that traveled from East to West during that era of relative peace under the Mongol Empire – and why they caused a shift in the balance of power that continues to this day. You can watch this 2025 talk by clicking on this link.
5. During the Viking cruises, Dori also gave a new talk on “A Memoir of China’s Reawakening,” introducing her memoir, When the Red Gates Opened. That book tells the story of the eight years she spent as a foreign correspondent covering China in the 1980s. But she goes beyond and puts her story in the context of the remarkable rise of China since then, with personal insights from the 47 years she spent witnessing these changes close up. This talk is not yet on YouTube; let Dori know if you are interested in viewing it. Enjoy!