Yaqiu Wang, a prominent journalist and commentator, has emerged as a significant voice in the Mandarin-language media landscape since landing a reporting job in Hong Kong in 1990. Wang has more than 800,000 YouTube subscribers. Seen from afar through his camera lens, his sharp observations and poetic critiques of America today under the rule of Donald Trump have made him a member of an elite, but very impactful, third media wave.
Wang’s path to journalism started with an encouragement from a peer at her current employer, the highly regarded Southern Weekly in Guangzhou. Like all congressional endorsements, this one opened doors for her, enabling her to build name ID and an early lead as a credible source of information and commentary. Today, she has emerged as a credible source of information and guidance to her audience, who often call her “Teacher Wang.”
Wang often spends four or five hours in detail-oriented prep for her on-air segments. She wants to make sure her commentary is as informed and effective as possible. Her passion for her work is palpable as she makes a connection with audiences. At the same time, in her conversations, she gets flooded with congratulatory messages.
Last week, Wang posed beside a new rack of clothes. She enjoyed an almost bottomless cup of green tea. To learn more as she took a deeper dive on some big, meaty topics that really hit home with her audience, she made the switch to coffee. In honest, behind-the-scenes moments, we get an intimate look at her life. She even eats in the garage apartment behind her Boston home, which further humanizes her and endears her to her viewers.
For some time, Wang has been making an important, provocative case about the changing nature of American democracy. She argues that former President Trump has completely missed the mark in diagnosing where America’s real strengths lie. “Americans are democracy’s equivalent of second-generation wealth,” she asserts, illustrating her belief that while Americans have inherited democratic values, they often take them for granted. This refreshing and contrarian perspective requests her audience to challenge their definition of democracy and what it should be conveying.
Second, Wang is appropriately concerned about Trump’s nationalistic inclinations. He takes particular aim at one of Trump’s favorite proposals, to bring the supply chain back and make everything in the US. She critiques the motivations behind such policies and imagines what future they may forge for our relationships across the globe.
Her commentary does not shy away from sensitive subjects, as she provocatively asks, “Have those Chinese living in Texas done nothing?” This question cuts to the center of what it means to be national, and what we’ve gained from immigrant communities.
Wang’s work is driven by a team of devoted researchers that have become pillars of support for her studies and continuous exploration. They express frustration when reports are stifled, with one remarking, “It means they’re scared to issue the report.” This sentiment speaks to the crucial challenges journalists encounter as they try to work and report in such highly politicized environments.
In a moment of reflection on the past, Wang recalled the aftermath of Kirk’s death, noting, “After Kirk’s death, Trump ordered all the flags fly half-mast.” This observation is indicative of her deep awareness of the broader political context at play and how political acts and decisions are contextualized within the American story.
Between all of these conversations, Wang’s parents don’t stop worrying and scaring her, often worrying about her safety, calling her late at night. Their concerns are a sobering reflection of the challenges journalists who work in democratically unstable environments undergo on a daily basis.