Leadership

Dan Wang & Alice Han: Finally, Some Reliable Experts on China

Barbaros Ozturk

20 Jan 2026 — 3 min read

In a world of geopolitical noise, these two voices cut through the propaganda with something rare: actual insight.

Inspiration: Realizing that 99% of “China Analysis” I read is either Washington hawks selling fear or Beijing bureaucrats selling fantasy.

Trying to understand China today is like trying to watch a movie through a kaleidoscope.

The US Angle: It’s all “National Security,” “Spy Balloons,” and “Collapse.” The narrative is often driven by defense contractors pitching fear to secure budgets.

The China Angle: It’s “Common Prosperity” and GDP targets that never seem to miss. The data is smoothed, the struggles are hidden, and the narrative is heavily curated by the state.

We are missing the middle ground—the practical, on-the-ground reality of business, technology, and people.

That is where Dan Wang and Alice Han come in.

Dan Wang: The Philosopher of Manufacturing

Dan Wang isn’t a “Hawk” or a “Panda Hugger.” He is an observer of process.

A technology analyst (formerly with Gavekal Dragonomics) who actually lived in China during the zero-COVID years, he offers a perspective you can’t get from a think tank in DC.

His analysis of China’s “Process Knowledge” is brilliant.

The Idea: China isn’t just “copying” anymore. They are mastering the process of scaling complex hardware (EVs, solar, batteries) in a way the US has forgotten.
The Take: In a recent Conversations with Tyler episode, he argued that China is a “nation of engineers” while the US is a “nation of lawyers.”
Why it matters: He explains why BYD is winning, not just that they are winning. He connects the dots between a distinct cultural “pragmatism” and industrial policy.

Alice Han: The Macro-Economic Translator

Alice Han bridges the gap between Wall Street and Beijing.

With a pedigree that commands respect (Harvard, Stanford), she is currently a Director at Greenmantle—a macroeconomic advisory firm that translates geopolitical risk for capital allocators.

She understands the incentives of the Party and translates them into risk for the investor.

The Lens: Her background in economic history (Cold War relations) gives her a long-term lens that most “tech-bro” analysts lack.
The Work: She dissects the “Black Box” of Chinese policy. When Xi Jinping says “New Productive Forces,” she explains what that actually means for your supply chain (hint: high-tech manufacturing subsidies, not consumer stimulus).
The Signal: Her new podcast, China Decode (part of Scott Galloway’s network), is essential listening because it strips away the political posturing and asks: What does this mean for capital flows?

Why You Need Them

You can’t bet on (or against) China if you don’t understand the mechanism.

If you listen only to the US, you think China is collapsing tomorrow. If you listen only to China, you think they have solved poverty.

Dan and Alice provide the synthesis. They acknowledge the demographic collapse and the EV dominance. They see the authoritarian overreach and the engineering brilliance.