In this episode of The Negotiation Podcast, host Todd Embley is joined by Richard Kimber, an Australian and Hong Kong–admitted lawyer who has helped more than 400 companies enter and operate in the Chinese market.

Richard brings decades of experience advising international businesses across sectors, including agribusiness, manufacturing, healthcare, technology, sports, and education. His work spans China market entry, international trade, strategic alliances and joint ventures, IP licensing, and compliance—making him a trusted advisor for brands navigating the complexities of doing business in China.

The conversation focuses on the realities of manufacturing and sourcing in China today: what has changed, what remains misunderstood, and how brands can protect themselves while still capturing the advantages of China’s manufacturing ecosystem.

Discussion Points

• Richard’s personal journey into China and how his legal career evolved alongside China’s opening and globalization
• The types of companies and industries he most commonly supports today
• The most common challenges foreign brands face when manufacturing or sourcing in China—and how

In Part 2 of our conversation with Professor Lizhi Liu, we shift from the origins of China’s e-commerce boom to the competitive dynamics shaping its present—and its future.

Lizhi breaks down how major platforms like Taobao/Tmall, JD, and Pinduoduo have shaped institutional innovation through intense competition, and what their strategies reveal about China’s digital governance model. We discuss the globalization of Chinese platforms, the role of mega-shopping festivals like Singles’ Day, and the evolution of social commerce as short-video platforms transform product discovery and purchasing behavior.

We also explore how China’s digital ecosystem may evolve over the next decade—and the one key lesson Lizhi hopes global audiences take away from her book.

Listeners interested in cross-border commerce, platform governance, or the future of China’s digital market will find this second installment packed with insights.

Discussion Points (Part 2):

• How platform competition among Alibaba, JD, and Pinduoduo shaped China’s e-commerce institutions
• China’s growing presence in global e-commerce and the rise of cross-border sellers
• Singles’ Day as a political-economic phenomenon, and whether these mega-festivals still matter
• The evolution and significance of social commerce in China
• Predictions for the next stage of China’s e-commerce development
• The key takeaway Lizhi hopes readers remember from From Click to Boom

In this first installment of our two-part conversation with Professor Lizhi Liu, Todd sits down with one of the leading scholars shaping global understanding of China’s digital economy. Lizhi’s award-winning book, From Click to Boom, explores how political institutions and digital platforms co-evolved to fuel the world’s most sophisticated e-commerce ecosystem.

In this episode, Lizhi walks us through her academic journey, what sparked her interest in the political economy of tech, and the research that shaped her landmark book. She explains the scale and speed of China’s e-commerce boom, the institutional innovations that enabled it—from digital payments to logistics networks—and the profound social transformations that followed. We also take a deep dive into the rise of “Taobao Villages,” exploring how rural communities leveraged online commerce to reshape livelihoods and migration patterns.

Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of how China built the most advanced e-commerce market in the world—and why similar growth hasn’t taken place in Western economies.

Discussion Points (Part 1):

• Lizhi’s academic background and path into studying the political economy of Chinese tech
• What led to the research behind From Click to Boom
• The global scale of China’s e-commerce market and how it compares to the West
• Foundational institutions that unlocked China’s e-commerce growth: payments, logistics, governance mechanisms
• Broader social and economic impacts of digital commerce, including rural revitalization
• The rise and significance of Taobao Villages