I think that people underestimate or don't fully understand the profound social and economic consequences the one-child policy has played on China. This generation is highly educated, but also grew up in super competition over burden very lonely. These generations are the inventors of the only singles day in the world - Alibaba gets to process half a million orders per second. And so they have to face as the Chinese people in general have to do, have to balance between deference to authority and independent thinking. It's always a balancing act.
In this episode we're joined by renowned economist and China expert Keyu Jin to ask whether the West really understands it's biggest geopolitical and economic rival?
Keyu Jin was born in China and educated in the United States. She's now a professor of economics at the London's LSE and author of The New China Playbook which seeks to dispel myths about China's economy and people. You may remember her from our 2019 debate ‘China: Friend or Foe?’ and she joins us again today with Gideon Rachman, Chief Foreign Affairs commentator for the Financial Times.
This podcast was Recorded on the 12th of May 2023 in London and was co-produced by Senior Producer Conor Boyle and the The Rachman Review podcast team at the Financial Time. Editing was by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney.
—-
Our listeners are the heart of Intelligence Squared, and we're always eager to hear from you. Let us know what you'd like us to talk about next, who you think we should invite as guests, and what debates you'd like to hear in the future. You can send us an email or voice note at podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or tweet us at @intelligence2.
Our mission is to foster honest debate and compelling conversations worldwide, which is why we offer a wealth of free content every week. We rely on the support of our community to continue our mission, so If you're able, please consider joining us as a member of Intelligence Squared for just £4.99 a month.
As a member, you'll have ad-free access to Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes. You'll also receive a 15% discount on all in-person Intelligence Squared events, and you'll get our member-only newsletter, The Monthly Read, delivered straight to your inbox.
Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices