10 Outstanding TED Talks on China

China is such an interesting country to learn about. As the world’s most populous country and the second-largest country by land area, China is poised to be quite powerful, and in many ways already is. These talks take a look at the power, heritage, and curious developments of China, offering intelligent reflections on the country as it has been and will be. Watch these incredible talks for an exploration of hidden China, interesting data, discussions of power, and the people who are changing the country as we know it.

1. Hans Rosling: Let my dataset change your mindset

   Traditional beliefs about the Western world versus the developing world (China) indicate that in countries like the U.S., we enjoy small families and long life spans, while third world and developing countries tend to have large families and short lifespans. But in this talk, Hans Rosling points out that that assumption hasn’t been true for about 50 years, and he charmingly shares the truth of data. Watch as he busts myths with his datasets, especially the idea that economic progress leads to social and health development, an idea that China proved to be amazingly wrong as they applied education, vaccines, and family planning that led to economic development, and not the other way around.
   

2. Martin Jacques: Understanding the rise of China

   What is so great about China? In this talk, Martin Jacques explains why China is on an incredible rise to power and what’s in store for the country in the future. Be sure to watch what Jacques has to say in order to learn how the Western world can make sense of China’s increasing prominence in the world.
   

3. Hans Rosling: Asia’s rise — how and when

   Martin Jacques’ talk explains why China is on a rise to power, but Hans Rosling explains how the Asian country will take over the world. Watch this talk to see incredible data charting China’s economic growth, along with Rosling’s prediction for when the country is going to outpace the U.S.
   

4. Yang Lan: The generation that’s remaking China

   In her talk, Yang Lan explains how a generation of young people in China are changing the country as they are highly connected, urban, and outspoken about injustice. This is increasingly in reaction to the country enjoying a more open means of communication. Lan discusses the triumph of shows that no longer have to follow government-approved scripts, and the fervent use of social media that has been met with much excitement.
   

5. Yansheng Huang: Does democracy stifle economic growth?

   This TED talk from Yansheng Huang takes a look at an interesting idea in China’s economic growth: whether the country’s authoritarian rule was a deciding factor in economic success. Follow this talk as Huang considers whether democracy might actually hold economies back, and why economists seem to love authoritarian governments.
   
   
   
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