Agents of Change

Abstract

This article studies the impact of dual-culture Chinese young professionals (agents) on American–Sino cooperation. It describes the current characteristics and speculates about likely evolution in the importance of agents. We report the manner in which they make career plans. Our findings suggest that agents are a rapidly growing demographic. They have strong career prospects, in part because third parties believe the agents can readily work and communicate on either side of the Pacific. Whether or not they return to China for the long term depends on several variables, including wages, career opportunities, eligibility for expert programs, living standards, and familial considerations. The article also examines how agents are modernizing China’s financial system. We examine how they have advanced retail banking by developing credit-rating systems. We make a case study of Joseph Tsai and his role as an agent in the initial public offering of Alibaba.