Dr. Elizabeth Economy and Lingling Wei, Chief China Correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, sit down for a wide ranging conversation on China’s purges, her personal story and look ahead to US-China relations for 2026. They begin with the recent ouster of General Zhang Youxia's from China's Central Military Commission and what it reveals about Xi Jinping's consolidation of power ahead of the 2026 Party Congress. Wei then shares her personal journey from being inspired by her mother to take up journalism in China to being expelled by Beijing in 2020, and how she continues reporting on China. The two then conclude with a discussion on the US and China. Wei describes U.S.-China relations as a "tactical pause" where both sides pursue strategic decoupling while managing a "messy separation," with China building its economy on a "war footing" for potential conflict over Taiwan. Lastly, the two agree on the need to understand everyday Chinese struggles, not just Xi's policies, even as Beijing turns the country into a "black box" for foreign reporters.

Recorded on January 31, 2026.

ABOUT THE SERIES

China Considered with Elizabeth Economy is a Hoover Institution podcast series that features in-depth conversations with leading political figures, scholars, and activists from around the world. The series explores the ideas, events, and forces shaping China’s future and its global relationships, offering high-level expertise, clear-eyed analysis, and valuable insights to demystify China’s evolving dynamics and what they may mean for ordinary citizens and key decision makers across societies, governments, and the private sector.