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 (225)

China eases limits on foreign interests in financial firms

Dec 11, 2017
China announced new measures that will give foreign banks and investors more ownership control over their operations in the country.
U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping meet business leaders at the Great Hall of the People on November 9, 2017 in Beijing, China.
Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images

Tough talks lurk behind Trump's first-class reception in China

The president will likely ask for some technology reciprocity and help with North Korea.
President Donald Trump, walking with first lady Melania Trump, looks at China's President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, as they tour the Forbidden City in Beijing today.
JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

China sets course for a "moderately prosperous" economy

Oct 26, 2017
Chinese President Xi Jinping was installed for another entirely expected five-year term by the Communist Party Congress this week. And in the course of a three-plus hour speech to open the Congress, Xi said something that hasn’t gotten much notice here, but is all over the Chinese press: He wants to build a moderately prosperous […]

What China's party congress means for the average Joe

A meeting of high-ranking officials in China signals the country's direction.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech during the opening session of the 19th Communist Party Congress held at the Great Hall of the People today in Beijing.
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Johor in Malaysia moves weekends to Friday and Saturday

Jan 20, 2014
Malaysia’s southern state of Johor is starting their weekends a day early; what this could mean for foreign investment.