Economist Lan Xiaohuan on the balancing act needed to boost China’s consumption

Lan Xiaohuan is a professor of economics at China Europe International Business School.

His book, How China Works: An Introduction to China’s State-led Economic Development, has sold millions of copies in China and has been translated into multiple languages.

Here, he discusses the economic realities behind China’s record trade surplus, the case for a stronger social safety net, and how public data infrastructure shapes the artificial intelligence race with the United States.

This interview...