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Jennifer Pak

China Correspondent

SHORT BIO

Jennifer is Marketplace’s China correspondent, based in Shanghai. She tells stories about the world’s second-biggest economy and why Americans should care about it.

She arrived in Beijing in 2006 with few journalism contacts but quickly set up her own news bureau. Her work has appeared in many news outlets, including the BBC, NPR and The Financial Times. After covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jennifer moved to Kuala Lumpur to be the BBC’s Malaysia correspondent. She reported on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and Edward Snowden’s brief escape to Hong Kong. Jennifer returned to China in 2015, based in the high-tech hub of Shenzhen, before joining Marketplace two years later.

In 2022, Jennifer, along with 25 million Shanghai residents, was locked down for over 60 days and had to scramble for food. The coverage of the pandemic she and her team produced helped earn them a Gracie and a National Headliner Award in 2023. You can see the food Jennifer was able to get during the Shanghai lockdown here and keep up with her tasty finds across China on Instagram at @jpakradio.

Latest Stories (237)

China’s consumption is ticking up, but can it be sustained?

Nov 29, 2024
Retail sales growth was the highest in eight months in October, but the property slump continues.
Shoppers line up for local food specialties in central China's Changsha city. The food business has been struggling, but cosmetics, sports and recreational products sold well in October.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

How advanced are China's self-driving taxis?

Nov 19, 2024
China is speeding up permission to test autonomous vehicles. The most advanced pilot projects are in Beijing and Wuhan.
Pony.ai's self-driving taxi makes its way down a Beijing road. Sixteen Chinese cities are piloting autonomous taxis.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

2024 U.S. election: views from China

Oct 18, 2024
U.S. work visa applicants in Shanghai have mixed feelings on which presidential candidate would be better for China-U.S. relations.
People line up to apply for a visa at the U.S. consulate in Shanghai. The number of Chinese citizens going to America for work, study and travel has been dropping since U.S.-China tensions escalated in 2018.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

China ramps up exchanges with U.S. youths, including NYU teams

Oct 8, 2024
Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to invite 50,000 American youths before 2029 to help stabilize U.S.-China relations.
The NYU women's basketball team high-fives Chinese players from Shanghai Jiao Tong University before a tournament over the summer in China. The game was billed as a friendly competition.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

E-payments are essential in China, but still tricky for foreign visitors

Sep 26, 2024
China has simplified some of its mobile payment app set ups to make it easier for visitors, but how easy are they to use?
WeChat is one of two key mobile payment apps that have dominated daily life in China since the pandemic.
RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images

He bought a property in China. Nine years later, he got the key.

Sep 24, 2024
Chen Peng wanted a home to attract a wife. Condo projects fraught with financial and legal battles made him wait nearly a decade.
Chen Peng recently moved into a new condo in Zhengzhou city that lacked any amenities or finishing touches. Its bare-bones condition allowed him to afford the down payment, which he made almost a decade ago.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

How can China make EVs that sell for less than $20,000?

Sep 9, 2024
Chinese carmakers can sell affordable EVs because of subsidies, fierce competition, a comprehensive supply chain and cheap labor.
“The problem with the market at the moment is that there’s a void of vehicles priced below $35,000. And there are plenty of buyers who want them,” says Sam Fiorani with AutoForecast Solutions.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Can food tourism help China's cash-strapped cities?

Aug 14, 2024
Last spring, the industrial town Zibo became a tourist hot spot because of its unique barbecue. Is that a recipe for healthy budgets?
The city of Zibo became a hot spot for tourists seeking out authentic barbecue.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

China pledges tax reform. That is a big deal for this socialist country.

Jul 24, 2024
Why China's leaders have long delayed tax reforms in the socialist country.
A shelf displaying China's national drink - a fiery grain spirit called baijiu. A change in consumption tax may soon push prices up even further.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

China's consumers cautious about economy as top officials meet

Jul 15, 2024
Growth is being held back by weak domestic demand and a real estate crisis.
Customers are sparse at a newly opened coffee shop in central Shanghai.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace