James Kynge

Senior Research Fellow for China and the World, Asia-Pacific Programme

James Kynge Headshot

Biography

James Kynge is Senior Research Fellow for China and the World with the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House.

Prior to joining Chatham House in September 2025, he spent 28 years at the Financial Times, mostly as Global China editor and Beijing bureau chief. He worked in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan for almost 20 years.

His 2009 prize-winning book, China Shakes the World, was a bestseller translated into 19 languages. His latest publication – Global Tech Wars: China’s Race to Dominate – is based on podcasts that won a Publisher Podcast Award in 2025.

He studied Chinese and Japanese at Edinburgh University and has had postings during his journalism career in Japan, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. He lives in southeast London. 

Past experience

2024–China-Europe correspondent, Financial Times
2018–2024Associate Editor and Global China Editor, Financial Times
2015–2018Associate Editor and Emerging Markets Editor, Financial Times
2008–2015Principal, China Confidential, Financial Times
1998–2008Beijing Bureau Chief, Financial Times. CEO, FTChinese.com