China’s Society Under Growing Economic Pressure as Business Climate Cools
China’s economy appears strong on the surface, with official growth of 5 percent and a record trade surplus in 2025. Yet beneath the headline numbers, domestic demand remains weak, private investment is retreating, and prices are hovering near deflation. As growth becomes increasingly driven by exports while confidence at home erodes, questions are mounting over whether China is facing a temporary slowdown or a deeper structural shift. If GDP no longer captures economic reality, what indicators matter more — and what do they reveal about China’s long-term trajectory? In this episode, we examine China’s domestic economic pressures, rising social strains, and what a “China Shock 2.0” could mean for global markets, political stability and the future of China’s growth model. *Recorded on February 4, 2026 at 3pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Ethan Liu Producer: Tina Hsu Our guests: Yi-feng Tao - National Taiwan University Political Science Associate Professor Elliott Fan - National Taiwan University Economics Professor
