Pekingnology, Trump in Beijing, Substack versus newsroom journalism: Zichen Wang

US-China relations remain at a critical juncture as Beijing prepares for Donald Trump’s visit, balancing caution with a desire for stability amid ongoing trade and technological competition. Zichen Wang, a former state media journalist turned newsletter publisher, highlights how China has leveraged its dominance in rare earth sectors to counter US export controls, creating a de facto ceasefire in trade tensions. Beyond geopolitics, the shift from traditional newsrooms to independent platforms like Substack is reshaping China coverage, offering a more technical and decentralized perspective on policy. While Western media institutions maintain their adversarial role, independent voices fill gaps by providing translations of primary Chinese sources and expert analysis. Although sustaining these independent models remains a challenge, they provide essential insights into a complex landscape where national security concerns now permeate nearly every aspect of economic and technological policy.