From making things to powering services: China's economic shift

China is often called the "world's factory." However, that's changing fast, and it's visible in how everyday services are being rebuilt from the ground up. In this episode, Liu Xin steps inside one of China's leading mapping apps to explore how it is evolving beyond navigation. One standout feature, "Street Stars," functions like a review platform – similar to Google Maps, TripAdvisor, or Yelp – but goes beyond user ratings by reflecting real-world foot traffic and on-the-ground popularity. Meanwhile, features like "flying street views" are reshaping how users experience cities before they even arrive. Then comes the real test: Liu Xin heads to a local noodle shop with American vlogger Jack Klumpp, using the app the way everyday users do. She also speaks with an industry expert to unpack what is driving China's shift toward a service-led economy.

From policy shifts to street-level meals, this is what China's evolving service economy looks like in practice.

Guests: Li Gang, Head of Amap "Street Stars" Product
He Ping, Associate Dean, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University
Jack Klumpp, American Vlogger

00:00 – Intro
04:52 – Why Amap launched an English version and who it targets
09:10 – How AI is being integrated into Amap's navigation and services
11:40 – Testing "Street Stars" in Wangjing and discovering a restaurant
18:08 – Expert insights on China's service sector transformation
19:46 – The service sector now contributes 60% of China's GDP growth. How significant is this shift?
22:08 – China's goal of building a $15 trillion services economy by 2030
27:33 – The biggest challenge ahead: governance and regulation

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