Drum Tower from The Economist

The Economist
  • 4.7 (99)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Drum Tower from The Economist

The Economist's China correspondents analyse the stories at the heart of this vast country and examine its influence beyond its borders. They examine how everything from party politics to business, technology and culture are reshaping China and the world. Published every Tuesday. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page here https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts.

  1. Battle-tested: China is closing the gap in high-tech weaponry

    7 JUL • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Battle-tested: China is closing the gap in high-tech weaponry

    Once dominated by Soviet knock-offs, plenty of high-tech Chinese weaponry is now on par with its Western equivalents. In some areas, the country may even have a technological lead. In the recent conflict between India and Pakistan, advanced Chinese weapons went head-to-head with Western and Russian counterparts for the first time—giving Pakistan a fighting edge. Jeremy Page, The Economist’s Asia diplomatic editor, and Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, ask: what role did Chinese weapons play in the latest India-Pakistan flare-up? And what might that mean for the future of warfare in Asia—and beyond? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    44 min
  2. Film club: “Journey to the West”

    30 JUN • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Film club: “Journey to the West”

    Published in 1592, “Journey to the West” is the most famous novel in Chinese literature. Better known as “The Monkey King” outside of China, it is also one of the country’s most successful cultural exports. It tells the story of a pilgrimage undertaken by a monk and his three disciples—a monkey, a pig and a bearded muscly man. The tale has inspired countless adaptations across film, TV and video games. Most recently, Ne Zha 2 broke box-office records in China. For the return of Drum Tower’s film club, Jiehao Chen, The Economist’s China researcher, and Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence" and former China correspondent, analyse their pick of the adaptations. More than 400 years after “Journey to the West” was written, why is the story still so popular? And what does it reveal about China today? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    44 min
  3. Soft power: how China became cool

    23 JUN • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Soft power: how China became cool

    China recently got a boost in the popularity polls, courtesy of a popular livestreamer who hails from Ohio. IShowSpeed (whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr) made a whirlwind tour of the country, showcasing the best of its technology and history. His visit, which went viral, came at a time when Brand China is on the ascendant. Chinese technology, blockbuster video games and popular consumer brands have boosted the country’s image abroad—helping to build soft power. Jiehao Chen, The Economist’s China researcher and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent, ask: is China becoming cool? And what does the Communist Party have to do with it? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    36 min
  4. Cash for kids: why China is paying women to have babies

    16 JUN • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Cash for kids: why China is paying women to have babies

    China has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. Meanwhile its population is getting older and its workforce is shrinking. By one estimate, China’s state pension will run out by 2035. This year, in a bid to get women to have more children, cash incentives and free preschool education were written into the Chinese Communist Party's annual work report. Rob Gifford, The Economist’s acting China editor, and Sarah Wu, our China correspondent based in Beijing, ask: why aren’t Chinese women having babies? And could paying them change that? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    27 min
  5. Call her Ishmaelle: a chat with Xiaolu Guo

    9 JUN • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Call her Ishmaelle: a chat with Xiaolu Guo

    One of the Chinese diaspora’s most celebrated artists grew up poor but surrounded by literature and art. After a string of books in her native language Xiaolu Guo found her creativity constrained. In London she began writing and making films in English—most recently a reworking of “Moby Dick”. After half a life inside China and half outside, she has illuminating views on art, love, youth and womanhood. Rosie Blau, a former China correspondent for The Economist and a co-host of “The Intelligence”, our daily news podcast, visits Ms Guo at her home. They explore the author’s formative years, her bewildering move to the West and her thoughts on Chinese art and society today. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    36 min
  6. Get-out-of-office message: China’s overtime crackdown

    2 JUN • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Get-out-of-office message: China’s overtime crackdown

    Bosses talk of “996” culture––working from 9am til 9pm, six days a week––while the newly common word neijuan conjures the frustration of an endless, pointless rat race. Now the government is stepping in, encouraging employees to work less and holiday more. Alice Su, The Economist’s senior international correspondent, and Sarah Wu, our China correspondent based in Beijing, ask why the state is intervening—and whether workers will listen. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    31 min

  7. 26 MAY • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Logos are no-gos: China’s appetite for luxury goods is changing

    2025 was tipped as the year when China would become the world’s biggest luxury goods market. For years the country’s growing middle class had been a mainstay of luxury goods sales, snapping up everything from high-end handbags to pricey skincare products. But last year purchases plummeted to their lowest level in a decade. Jiehao Chen, The Economist’s China researcher, and Don Weinland, our China business and finance editor, ask: has China fallen out of love with luxury goods? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    35 min
  8. Village people: China’s efforts to lure people back to the land

    19 MAY • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Village people: China’s efforts to lure people back to the land

    For years China’s answer to rural poverty was to encourage people to pack up and move to the cities. That prompted the biggest migration in human history as hundreds of millions left the land for factories and service jobs. Extreme poverty was eradicated but China’s villages became left-behind places, home to the elderly and the very young. But that’s changing. The government is ploughing money into model villages, replete with coffee shops and galleries. And rural live-streaming, where farm folks sell their wares direct to wealthy urbanites, has become a profitable industry. Rob Gifford, The Economist’s acting China editor, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent ask: what are some of the ways in which China is trying to revitalise its rural areas? And how effective are these efforts going to be? Plus Don Weinland, our China business editor, visits a blueprint for a new kind of Chinese village. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    34 min
See All (154)

Trailers

Shows with Subscription Benefits

Subscribe via The Economist app for podcast access

View Subscription FAQs

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
99 Ratings

About

The Economist's China correspondents analyse the stories at the heart of this vast country and examine its influence beyond its borders. They examine how everything from party politics to business, technology and culture are reshaping China and the world. Published every Tuesday. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page here https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts.

Information

  • Channel
    The Economist
  • Creator
    The Economist
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    154
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2023. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Drum Tower from The Economist
  • Provider
    The Economist Newspaper Limited

More From The Economist

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada