China’s GDP is projected to reach $25.83 trillion USD in 2030, as it continues to grow at a faster rate than the United States’. China’s role in the global economy has shifted from “The World’s Factory” to a technological and economic powerhouse. Yet, China’s economy operates differently than Western ones – raising questions of how these divergent economic models will either coexist or clash. How is China protecting and promoting its position in the global economy, and how is the United States dealing with its economic rival? 

Ka Zeng joined us in June 2025 to discuss how China acts in global economic institutions amid economic competition with the United States.