Scott Tong

Correspondent

SHORT BIO

Scott Tong is a former correspondent for Marketplace. He reported on sustainability issues (energy, climate, environment, resources) for Marketplace, as well as the U.S.-China technology relationship, frequently described as “fraught.” He is Marketplace’s former China bureau chief.

What was your first job?

English-language audiotape (yes, tape) voice-over work. Sixth grade.Taiwan.

What advice do you wish someone had given you before you started this career?

Show up an hour before the interview.

Fill in the blank: Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you ______.

Gas for kid carpools; Washington Capitals hockey tickets.

What is something that everyone should own, no matter how much it costs?

Smoker (plus wooden slotted spoon).

What’s your most memorable Marketplace moment?

Sneaking into Burma for twenty bucks.

Latest Stories (1,339)

China launches 'charm offensive'

May 15, 2007
Vietnam and China haven't exactly had the friendliest history. But time, as they say, heals all wounds and recently the winds of trade have been pushing the neighboring countries closer than ever. Scott Tong explains.

Shanghai boom — or bubble?

May 9, 2007
China's market continues its rapid march upward, hurtling over the 4,000 mark today. The euphoric buying spree has some government officials advising caution, but investors won't be swayed, Scott Tong reports.

China opens to melamine inspection

Apr 27, 2007
Seeking to improve its image in food processing, China promised to cooperate with the FDA's look into signs of melamine contamination. Scott Tong reports.

Following the melamine

Apr 27, 2007
The FDA's still trying to sort out last month's pet food scare. It thinks it's tracked the offending chemical back to China, where the government seems to be genuinely invested in helping. But it won't be easy, Scott Tong tells us.

Dirty Beijing air? Make rain

Apr 24, 2007
China announced today its plan to address climate change. Good thing, too, because that Beijing air is nasty. Scott Tong reports on one pollution solution that may sound bizarre.

VC giant goes to China

Apr 24, 2007
Venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins is opening up shop in China. The Chinese government is offering tax incentives in an effort to bulk up the nation's scrawny technology sector, so the timing could be right.

China's short on water

Apr 11, 2007
Half of China's rivers are deemed too polluted to drink from. And more than 100 of its cities face what authorities call severe water shortages. Scott Tong reports on China's water-supply crisis.

Picking another fight with China

Apr 9, 2007
The U.S. is expected to file new complaints with the WTO this week saying China isn't doing enough to fight piracy and counterfeits. Beijing has made it easier to prosecute the crimes, but the problem is built into its restrictive market.

It's a digital hit in China

Apr 2, 2007
The TV show Prison Break is the hottest series in China, thanks to the millions of fans who download the show illegally. Scott Tong reports on the power of digital word-of-mouth in the world's biggest consumer market.

Evening the trading field

Mar 30, 2007
For 20 years, U.S. companies have been complaining that China gives its companies an unfair competitive advantage in the form of government subsidies. Now it looks like the U.S. might finally be ready to do something about it.