Jiaqi Zhao is anassistant professor at Lingnan College, Sun Yat-san University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from National School of Development, Peking University in 2026. His research field includes development economics, political economy, public finance and Artificial Intelligence.

Academic Employment

2026.08 - Now: Lingnan College, Sun Yat-sen University, Assistant Professor

Education 

2021.09 - 2026.06: National School of Development, Peking University, Ph.D. in Economics.
2024.08 - 2025.07: Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern, Visiting Scholar.
2017.09 - 2021.06: National School of Development, Peking University, Bachelor of Economics.

Publications

Hu, Zhi-An, Zhuo Nie, and Jiaqi Zhao  (2026). "Winning hearts after tying hands: The political impact of land titling reform in China." Journal of Development Economics, 182, 103800.

Guo, Liwen, Zhiming Cheng, Massimiliano Tani, Sarah Cook, Jiaqi Zhao and Xi Chen  (2025). “Air pollution and entrepreneurship”. China Economic Review, 89, 102327.

Yu, Hang, and Jiaqi Zhao. (2024). “Financial Sector Development and Industrialization: Lessons and Prospects for Ethiopia.” China Economic Journal, 17(2), 300–321.

Shen, Yan, Hongyi Jiang, Shiyun Hu, Jiaqi Zhao, and Zhuo Huang (2024). “Digital Finance Supports High-quality Development: Theory, Mechanism and Evidence”, Journal of Financial Research (in Chinese), 529(7), 20-39.

Xi, Tianyang Shiyao Liu, Zhenhuan Lei, Yishuang Li, Zhencen Liu, and Jiaqi Zhao. (2024). “National Governance Index and Modernization of Developing Countries.” Journal of Modernization Studies (in Chinese), 2024(01).

Zhao, Jiaqi, Hongyi Jiang, Shiyun Hu, and Yan Shen. (2023). “Fintech, Small Enterprise Credit and Credit Risk – Evidence from Bank Digitization in China.”, China Economic Quarterly (in Chinese), 23(05), 1686-1703.

Working Papers

Hu, Zhi-An, Zhuo Nie, and Jiaqi Zhao, “The Collectivist Origins of Political Participation in Rural China”, Revise and Resubmit at Journal of Comparative Economics.

Lei, Zhenhuan, Tianyang Xi, and Jiaqi Zhao, “Seeing Corruption Differently: An Information-Based Perspective on the Expert-Citizen Gap in Corruption Indicators”, Under Review.

Li, Jinghong, Kevin Zhengcheng Liu, Zhuo Nie, and Jiaqi Zhao, “Political Connections as Fiscal Buffers under Trade Shocks: Evidence from China’s Land Market”: Evidence from China’s Primary Land Market, Under Review.

Yao, Yang, and Jiaqi Zhao, “Power Sharing under Weak Institutions: The Role of Inter-group Equality”.

Fang, Hanming, Jiayin Hu, Miao Yu, and Jiaqi Zhao, “Generative Al and Pre-Hire Labor Market: Evidence from a Chinese Job Matching Platform”.

Zhao, Jiaqi, “Can ‘Airdropped’ Politicians Curb Local Favoritism? Evidence from Chinese Lawsuits".

Miscellaneous Items

Office: Lingnan College, Sun Yat-sen University, Room 616.

Last Updated on August 28, 2026.