China’s power has been growing for decades. A formidable and emerging power on the world stage, the China that most Westerners think they know is an intimidating, authoritarian nation which plans to take over the world. According to leading economist Keyu Jin, this prejudiced take on China is blinding the West from a true understanding of the country’s goals and intentions and could lead to unnecessary and destructive conflict.

In May 2023, Jin came to Intelligence Squared to discuss how stability and harmony are in fact the guiding principles of the Chinese economy. She shed light on how the one-child policy has shaped the ultra-competitive economic environment in China and why the Communist Party’s strong regulation of Big Tech puts it in a stronger position than the US to achieve global dominance in areas like technology and AI.

Jin was joined by Gideon Rachman as she gave us a unique insight into the mindset of the world’s rising superpower.