China’s Evolving Political Economy and Global Orientation: A Conversation with Professor Yao Yang
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About the event
China is approaching a major moment in its economic and political trajectory with
the forthcoming unveiling of its 15th Five-Year Plan at the annual “Two Sessions”
in early March. At a time of slowing growth, technological competition, and intensifying
geopolitical tensions, the Plan offers a window into how China understands its future
development path and its place in the world. This Distinguished Lecture invites a
broader reflection on what China’s evolving political economy means.
Drawing on his recent work and close engagement with China’s economic debates, Yao Yang will explore the logic behind China’s renewed emphasis on manufacturing, innovation, and technological upgrading. His analysis situates these choices within China’s broader political economy, highlighting the institutional incentives and trade-offs that shape economic strategy.
In the response panel that follows, Yao will be joined by Long Institute core faculty professor emeritus John Graham (marketing and international business) and professor Etel Solingen (political science) to reflect on the international consequences of this trajectory. As China’s industrial and technological push reshapes global supply chains, trade and investment flows, and patterns of competition, the discussion will examine implications for China–U.S. relations, global economic governance, and the prospects for cooperation and conflict in a more fragmented international order.
This event is sponsored by the Long U.S.-China Institute and presented with community partners: Peking University Alumni Association of Southern California; Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California; and the Chinese Union – UCI. Special thanks to: School of Social Sciences; School of Humanities; Paul Merage School of Business; School of Law; Department of Political Science; and Department of Economics.
About the speaker
Yang Yao is professor and dean of the Di-shui-hu Advanced Finance Institute (DAFI),
Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and a visiting professor at Peking University.
He is the founding editor of China Economic Quarterly and served as dean of the National School of Development at Peking University from
2012 to 2024. He chairs the China Economic Annual Conference and the Foundation of
Modern Economics and is a member of the China Economist 50 Forum.
His research interests include political economy, China’s economic transition and development, and political philosophy. He has published more than 100 articles in leading journals, including China Social Sciences, American Economic Review, American Political Science Review, and Management Science, and has authored or edited more than a dozen books.
Yao has received multiple major awards, including the Sun Yefang Award in Economic Science (2008, 2014), Pu Shan Award in International Economics (2008, 2010), and Zhang Peigang Award in Development Economics (2008). He is a fellow of the International Economic Association (2024).
He received his bachelor's in geography (1986) and master's in economics (1989) from Peking University, and his Ph.D. in development economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1996.
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