This episode features Stephen Smith from Hope College. Smith talks about the place of China in the global economy, U.S. policy toward China, changes in Chinese governance, and the Chinese church. Smith grew up in Hong Kong and has visited China numerous times in adulthood, often traveling with undergraduate students. He is a close observer of Chinese politics, economics, and culture. With all of the China-related news over the last year, it seemed like a great time to corner Stephen and get his perspective on a whole range of related questions.

As a scholar, Smith specializes in international trade, growth, and development.  He is also a leader in the Association of Christian Economists, currently serving as Vice President.

Stephen Smith’s Hope College webpage. (https://hope.edu/directory/people/smith-stephen/index.html)

Economic Growth: Unleashing the Potential of Human Flourishing, by Stephen Smith, Edd Noell, and Bruce Webb. (AEI Press, 2013) (https://www.amazon.com/Economic-Growth-Unleashing-Flourishing-Capitalism/dp/0844772569/)

Over the course of our conversation we referenced the following:

A Republic of Equals by Jonathan Rothwell (Princeton, 2019)

“A Letter from Hong Kong” by Peter Baehr (Quillette, 9/3/2016) (https://quillette.com/2019/09/03/a-letter-from-hong-kong/)