Yeling Tan

Yeling Tan is a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government and a non-resident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Her research focuses on the political economy of globalization, China's development strategies, and international economic policy interactions. She holds a PhD in Public Policy (Harvard, 2017), an MPA in International Development (Harvard Kennedy School, 2011), and a BA in International Relations and Economics (Stanford, 2002).

Her work examines how global economic policies influence authoritarian regimes like China, particularly through state strategies in trade, innovation, and global governance. Notable contributions include analyzing the effects of WTO membership on Chinese firms and exploring public responses to trade protectionism during the US-China trade war. Recent publications investigate technological self-reliance in China and the domestic political consequences of global economic integration.

Awarded the Peter Katzenstein and Georgetown Joseph S. Lepgold book prizes for her work Disaggregating China, Inc., Tan has also been recognized as a Project Syndicate Forward Thinker (2025). Her media engagements include commentaries in Foreign Affairs, Fortune, and BBC discussions on UK-China relations.

Previous roles include assistant professorships at the University of Oregon (2018–2023) and postdoctoral fellowships at Princeton University. She has held policy-oriented roles with the World Economic Forum, Georgetown University, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.