Why subscribe?

Tea Leaf Reading is more than just a newsletter—it's a personal project born out of my passion for understanding China’s domestic and international policies, and my desire to make these insights accessible to a broader audience. With an undergraduate degree in History and International Relations and a Master's in International Relations, I am now preparing for the next step in my academic journey: pursuing a PhD with a focus on China’s global role. This newsletter serves as both a platform for my research and a means to contribute to a global conversation.

China’s rise as a global power has sparked both curiosity and concern. My goal with Tea Leaf Reading is to help readers decipher China’s complex political discourse, its domestic shifts, and the cultural influences that underpin its decision-making processes. I approach this subject with a critical lens, translating works from Chinese opinion leaders and providing analysis in a digestible, insightful manner for those who want to understand China’s role on the world stage. The newsletter is my way of engaging with complex questions about China, offering my own elementary but growing insights, and ultimately serving as a bridge between China and the world.

Much like the ancient art of reading tea leaves for insight into the future, this newsletter delves into China’s actions, interpreting the small but significant signals in its domestic and foreign policy. Materials used in this newsletter are mainly drawn from Chinese mainland sources.

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