Chinese travelers added over $20 billion to the U.S. economy last year, greatly contributing to the service sector, where the United States has a trade surplus with China. Traveling puts people from the United States and China in direct contact with each other, opening up opportunities for empathy to grow. Furthermore, social media is changing the way people in the United States and China travel, empowering travelers to seek out more authentic cultural experiences when they visit new places. Despite geopolitical tensions and governmental restrictions that affect travel between the United States and China, human curiosity for different cultures remains strong.
Flora Zhang joined us on March 11, 2026 to share how American and Chinese people travel differently and the impact of the travel industry on U.S.-China Relations.
Xiuzhen (Flora) Zhang
Xiuzhen (Flora) Zhang is a tech executive with extensive leadership experience in the internet and travel industries. An alumna of MIT and Columbia University she has held senior roles in both the U.S. and China, offering a deep, dual-market perspective to the dialogue on U.S.-China bilateral relations and global innovation.