Lever journalist into China? (5)
I believe the answer is:
pedal
'lever' is the definition.
(I know that pedal is a type of lever)
'journalist into china?' is the wordplay.
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'into' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'china?' becomes 'pal' (china plate is Cockney rhyming slang for mate).
'ed' going inside 'pal' is 'PEDAL'.
(Other definitions for pedal that I've seen before include "Of or relating to the feet" , "Lever worked by foot" , "Foot-operated lever" , "ride a cycle" , "Plead for bicycle propeller" .)