By Bi Yantao
Published on June 19, 2026
Over time, I have come to see myself, and many others engaged in China-related work, as boundary spanners—people who move between different worlds and try to build understanding across them. This includes China scholars, China watchers, international professionals based in China, journalists, business leaders, and diplomats.
Such a role is both meaningful and challenging. Those who try to explain one side to the other are sometimes misunderstood by both sides. In China, some people have viewed my perspectives as too close to Western ideas. Outside China, people may assume that I inevitably represent official viewpoints. Neither assumption reflects the complexity of reality.
Over the years, I have learned that genuine understanding requires intellectual independence, patience, and a willingness to tolerate ambiguity.
I: Why China Is Difficult to Understand
China is one of the most studied countries in the world, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood.
The problem is not a lack of information. News reports, policy documents, social media posts, academic papers, think tank analyses, and intelligence assessments are produced every day.
The challenge is that information and understanding are not the same thing.
Many observers rely heavily on headlines, expert commentary, polling data, or institutional reports. These sources are valuable, but they are not infallible. History offers many examples of experienced China scholars, respected research institutions, and government agencies misjudging developments in China.
At the same time, publicly available information within China does not always fully reflect social reality. Public communication often serves multiple purposes simultaneously: informing, explaining, promoting, persuading, and shaping perceptions.
No single source can explain China.
II: There Is More Than One China
International discussions often refer to China as if it were a unified actor with a single voice and a single perspective.
Reality is far more complex.
Different regions, generations, professions, and social groups frequently see the country through very different lenses. Intelligent and well-informed people can observe the same China and reach very different conclusions.
This is not always because one side is right and the other is wrong.
Often, they are looking at different parts of the same reality.
Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned is that there is no single China that everyone experiences.
III: Understanding China Through People
If information alone is insufficient, how can one better understand China?
My answer is simple: through people.
Some of the most valuable insights I have gained about China did not come from books, reports, conferences, or databases. They emerged from long conversations with friends, colleagues, students, and professionals from different backgrounds.
Many educated Chinese possess highly nuanced perspectives on their society. Yet such perspectives do not always appear in public discussions.
Meaningful understanding often develops through trust rather than observation alone.
Relationships do not replace information. They provide the context necessary to interpret it.
IV: A Final Reflection
After four decades in international communication, I have become increasingly cautious of simple explanations about China.
China cannot be understood solely through official narratives. Nor can it be understood solely through foreign interpretations. Headlines, expert analysis, and social media all offer valuable insights, but each provides only a partial view.
The greatest obstacle to understanding China is not the lack of information. It is the temptation to mistake a fragment for the whole.
For those who seek to understand China, I would offer a modest suggestion:
Remain curious. Remain skeptical. Remain open to complexity.
Most importantly, resist the urge to outsource your judgment to any single narrative.
China cannot be decoded through headlines alone. It must also be understood through experience, relationships, and the humility to recognize how much remains unseen.
The full version of this essay is available at Tropicalhainan.com.Bi Yantao is a professor at the School of International Communication and Art, Hainan University, and Editor-in-Chief of Communication Without Borders (CWB).
