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Lex Fridman Podcast

#477 – Keyu Jin: China’s Economy, Tariffs, Trade, Trump, Communism & Capitalism

8/13/20251 hr 57 min

Keyu Jin is an economist specializing in China's economy, international macroeconomics, global trade imbalances, and financial policy. She is the author of The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep477-sc See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/keyu-jin-transcript

CONTACT LEX: Feedback - give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey AMA - submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama Hiring - join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring Other - other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact

EPISODE LINKS: Keyu's X: https://x.com/KeyuJin Keyu's Website: https://keyujin.com/ The New China Playbook (Book): https://amzn.to/4lpgmyK

SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Allio Capital: AI-powered investment app that uses global macroeconomic trends. Go to https://alliocapital.com/ UPLIFT Desk: Standing desks and office ergonomics. Go to https://upliftdesk.com/lex Hampton: Community for high-growth founders and CEOs. Go to https://joinhampton.com/lex Lindy: No-code AI agent builder. Go to https://go.lindy.ai/lex LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex

OUTLINE: (00:00) - Introduction (00:35) - Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections (08:26) - Misconceptions about China (12:57) - Education in China (22:14) - Economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping (27:33) - Mayor economy and GDP growth race (41:20) - Growing up in China (46:58) - First time in the US (51:12) - China's government vs business sector (54:46) - Communism and capitalism (58:25) - Jack Ma (1:04:37) - China's view on innovation and copying ideas (1:11:15) - DeepSeek moment (1:15:09) - CHIPS Act (1:16:56) - Tariffs and Trade (1:29:21) - Immigration (1:34:08) - Taiwan (1:39:54) - One-child policy (1:47:51) - China's economy collapse predictions (1:52:34) - Advice for visiting China

PODCAST LINKS:

Clips

Export Controls Backfire
Jack Ma & Tallest Tree
Copying Culture Clash
China’s Mayor Economy
Ranked 1-to-800 at School
Not Centrally Run
Short, Flat, Fast

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Lex Fridman· Host0:00

    The following is a conversation with Keyu Jin, an economist at the London School of Economics, specializing in China's economy, international macroeconomics, global trade imbalances, and financial policy. She wrote the highly lauded book on China, titled The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism, that details China's economic transformation since 1978 to today, and it dispels a lot of misconceptions about China's economy that people in the West have. And now, a quick few-second mention of each sponsor. Check them out in the description, or at lexfriedman.com/sponsors. It's the best way to support this podcast. We got Allio Capital for investment, Uplift Desk for amazing and functional desks, Hampton for connecting with founders, Lindy for AI agents, and LMNT for delicious electrolytes. Choose wisely, my friends. And now, on to the full ad reads. They are all here in one place. I do really try to make them interesting, but if you skip, please still check out the sponsors. I enjoy their stuff. Maybe you will too. To get in touch with me for whatever reason, go to lexfriedman.com/contact. All right, let's go. This episode is brought to you by Allio Capital, an investment app designed by people who understand global markets and the macroeconomics

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