Drum Tower

Twice a decade, China’s Communist Party leaders convene at Beijing’s Jingxi Hotel for the “third plenum”, a meeting focused on long-term reforms that has, at times, changed the course of Chinese history. Last week’s plenum took place against a backdrop of economic troubles and growing doubts about Xi Jinping's ability to address them. David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, and Simon Cox, our China economics editor, unpack what has come out of the meeting. They ask: is China doing enough to fix its economy and is Xi Jinping finally listening? 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.

Amid China’s economic slowdown, a small supermarket chain in Henan province is thriving against the odds. Pangdonglai’s focus on exceptional service, transparency and quality products draws queues to its shops and is raising the bar for what consumers expect from their local supermarkets. David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief and Don Weinland, our China business and finance editor, take you inside Pangdonglai and ask: what can the wild success of one local supermarket chain tell us 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.

Move over Beijing and Shanghai. Step aside Shenzhen and Guangzhou. China’s four “first-tier cities”, once magnets for new graduates in search of economic opportunities and big-city living, are out of style. Instead, bright youngsters are flocking to “second-tier cities” such as Chengdu and Chongqing, which stand out for their dynamism, culture and quality of life. Alice Su, The Economist's senior China correspondent, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent in Beijing, ask: what explains the rise of China’s second-tier cities? And can their growth be sustained? 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.

Nearly 80% of Tibetan children attend state-run boarding schools where Mandarin Chinese is the main language of instruction. The Chinese government says this makes education more accessible for the children of farmers and herders who live far from schools.David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, travels to a Tibetan area of Qinghai province to try to find out if this is the whole story. He and James Miles, our China writer-at-large, speak to two activists from the Tibet Action Institute, and ask why are so many Tibetan children in boarding schools, and what’s the impact on their home life and culture? 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.

China has many different regional cuisines, but increasingly the local palate is craving spice, or la in Chinese. Look back a few hundred years, though, and chillies were nowhere to be found. David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief and Jiehao Chen, a producer of “Drum Tower”, ask: how have chillies become the flavour of contemporary China?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.

The Philippines could be the next big flashpoint in the South China Sea, the world’s most contested waters. China claims nearly the entire sea as its territory, asserting rights over waters and islands that South-East Asian countries consider their own. While most neighbouring countries avoid confronting China, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, the Philippines' president, is taking a stand.David Rennie, The Economist's Beijing bureau chief, and Sue-Lin Wong, our South-East Asia correspondent, ask: what is China up to in the South China Sea? And can the Philippines do anything about 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.

In the past, Xi Jinping and Vladmir Putin have described their relationship as a “friendship with no limits”. Some in the West have dismissed it as more of a “marriage of convenience”. Either way, it is undeniable that China and Russia are more aligned than they have ever been since the Cold war. David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, ask: how strong has the China-Russia relationship become? And what’s in it for China?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.

Narendra Modi is one of the most popular politicians on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy. A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider. The man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has become an economic powerhouse during his ten years in charge. But he’s also the frontman for a chauvinistic Hindu nationalist dogma. Can Mr Modi continue to balance both parts of his agenda and finish the job of turning India into a superpower? The Economist’s Avantika Chilkoti finds out what makes him tick. Launching June 2024.To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

While Washington worries about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, China is deploying a set of tactics that could see it take its neighbour without firing a shot. Day after day, Chinese planes and ships are going steadily closer to the island. Called “grey-zone” tactics, this intimidation is eroding Taiwan’s borders and undermining Taiwanese confidence. Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent and Anton La Guardia, our diplomatic editor, travelled to hot spots of grey-zone aggression in Taiwan to find out if China’s strategy is working.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.Get a world of insights for 50% off—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.