Sharp China with Bill Bishop: Recent Episodes
Andrew Sharp and Bill Bishop
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Friday's announcement from the NPC standing committee and more incremental stabilization measures from PRC leadership. Topics include: Foreign investors (again) hoping for more, "deepening reforms" and domestic consumption, the trade surplus with the US exceeds the trillion dollar threshold, and why attempts to build an alliance with the EU are unlikely to succeed. From there: Taiwan considers a big arms purchase as Trump prepares to take office, the Philippines aims to buy intermediate range missile launchers, and TSMC halts the sale of advanced chips to China. At the end: Trump's early cabinet picks, another report on Trump's plans for TikTok, the "reverse Nixon" dream, and Elon Musk's mother is a brand ambassador in the PRC.
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Fiscal stabilization package; Trade surplus; Philippines-PRC tensions; TSMC; Waltz to be National Security Advisor — Sinocism
China’s Stimulus Policies Now Put Emphasis on Consumption, Expert Says — Caixin
Exclusive - China presses Europe for anti-U.S. alliance on trade — Reuters (2018)
Ukraine war: EU’s next top envoy says China must pay ‘higher cost’ for backing Russia — SCMP
Taiwan considers big US defence purchases as overture to Donald Trump — Financial Times
Philippines aims to buy US missile launcher in move likely to anger China — Financial Times
TSMC to close door on producing advanced AI chips for China from Monday — Financial Times
Exclusive: US ordered TSMC to halt shipments to China of chips used in AI applications — Reuters
Donald Trump’s cabinet picks signal tougher stance on China — Financial Times
A Trump adviser on how the international economic system should change — The Economist
Beijing’s Worst Nightmare After Trump’s Win: a ‘Reverse Nixon’ — Wall Street Journal
Trump expected to try to halt TikTok ban, allies say — Washington Post
Maye Musk, the mother of Elon Musk, is now the global brand ambassador of AISE baobao — X: @Byron_Wan
Reverse ferret — Wikipedia
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill talk through a second Donald Trump presidency and what it might mean for US-China relations. Topics include: a note of congratulations from Xi Jinping Thursday morning, memories of the first Trump presidency, the calculus from both sides as tariffs loom, a larger toolkit of responses to trade policy for the PRC, potential intermediaries between Trump's administration and PRC leadership, and the strategic challenges and opportunities that China sees in a Trump administration. At the end: TikTok’s fate and whether Trump will save the app’s future in the United States, additional details on the Salt Typhoon telecommunications hack, and thoughts on the Biden administration's approach to the PRC, and the challenges facing any U.S. administration.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
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Trump 2.0 and the PRC — Sinocism
Xi congratulates Trump; Social work and stability; "Stimulus" rumors; October exports surge; TikTok; Hack of US telecoms — Sinocism
China congratulates Trump, says it respects America's choice — Reuters
China Learns How to Get Trump’s Ear: Through Jared Kushner — New York Times (2017)
Donald Trump’s trade remedies reflect America’s troubled reality — Financial Times
Markets Are Underpricing the Possibility of a U.S.-China Economic War — Foreign Policy
Chinese officials struggle to build ties with Donald Trump’s campaign — Financial Times
Americans Who Want to Do Business in China Need to Meet This Man — Wall Street Journal
What Trump's win means for Ukraine, Middle East and China — BBC
Americans, your calls and texts can be monitored by Chinese spies — Washington Post
Chinese hackers gained access to huge trove of Americans’ cell records — Politico
China Hack Enabled Vast Spying on U.S. Officials, Likely Ensnaring Thousands of Contacts — Wall Street Journal
Trudeau government bans TikTok from operating in Canada — but Canadians can still use it — CBC
TikTok Sees Trump Victory As App’s Best Hope — The Information
Spotlight: Xi-Trump meeting helps achieve much friendlier tone in China-U.S. ties: experts — Xinhua
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with an excellent report from Semi Analysis, and the state of the U.S. export controls on semiconductors and chipmaking equipment. Topics include: New reports of TSMC sales to Huawei-linked firms, the Commerce Department's oversight of chip controls, the various loopholes being routinely exploited by SMIC, Huawei and related entities, and enforcement questions for future administrations. From there: The NPC Standing Committee meeting is set for next week, the latest reports on what might be announced, and questions concerning the timing of the meeting, which will coincide with the US election. At the end: The PRC's crackdown on the private tutoring industry might be lifting, and reports that Chinese hackers targeted data from both Presidential campaigns.
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Xi schools cadres; More stimulus talk; EU tariffs on PRC EVs go into effect; TSMC cuts of two customers over Huawei concerns — Sinocism
NPCSC meeting; Politburo meeting on discipline; Politburo studies "building strong cultural nation; Huawei sanctions evasion; Pro-natal measures; Phone hacking — Sinocism
Fab Whack-A-Mole: Chinese Companies are Evading U.S. Sanctions — SemiAnalysis
TSMC suspended shipments to China firm after chip found on Huawei processor, sources say — Reuters
TSMC cuts off at least two chip clients over potential Huawei links — Nikkei
TSMC Chips Ended Up in Devices Made by China’s Huawei Despite U.S. Controls — New York Times
Exclusive: China considers over $1.4 trillion in extra debt over next few years — Reuters
China's private tutoring firms emerge from the shadows after crackdown — Reuters
Chinese Hackers Are Said to Have Targeted Phones Used by Trump and Vance — New York Times
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Xi Jinping's visit to the16th BRICS Summit and Russia's rumored effort to build a platform for international payments that would be immune to Western sanctions. From there: The Power of Siberia-2 pipeline that may or may not materialize, waiting for news on the next meeting of the NPC standing committee, and one theory on how the US election could impact the timing of the next fiscal announcement. Then: Xi's visit to a PLA Rocket Force brigade in Anhui, the rhetoric Xi uses surrounding the PLA and its readiness, and thoughts on the continued buildout of the PRC nuclear arsenal. At the end: A note on Taiwan's energy security, clarity on the names of the National Zoo’s new pandas, and a flurry of reports and questions surrounding Huawei, TSMC and the Commerce Department's oversight of export controls on chipmaking equipment.
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Xi meets Putin; No announcement of NPC SC meeting; Rui Chenggang; Huawei and TSMC; Huawei's updated OS; VW exec deported — Sinocism
Xi in Anhui, inspects nuclear missile brigade; Q3 GDP and rate cuts; BRICS; Export controls — Sinocism
Xi Jinping to Attend the 16th BRICS Summit in Russia — MoFA
At BRICS summit, Russia to push to end dollar dominance — Reuters
Plan D — Doomberg
China Moves to Support Markets After Data Showing Economy Slowed — Bloomberg
Covering China’s National People’s Congress and its Standing Committee — NPC Observer
Xi calls on Anhui to write its own chapter of Chinese modernization — Xinhua
Adapting US strategy to account for China’s transformation into a peer nuclear power — The Atlantic Council
Huawei Technologies’ Latest AI Chips Were Produced by TSMC — Bloomberg
TSMC says it alerted US to potential violation of China AI chip controls — Financial Times
U.S. Probes TSMC’s Dealings With Huawei — The Information
Secretive Chip Startup May Help Huawei Circumvent US Sanctions — Bloomberg (2022)
D.C.’s new pandas are named what, now? — Washington Post
TSMC Cuts Off Client After Discovering Chips Diverted to Huawei — Bloomberg
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the news that the PRC has sent two pandas to the National Zoo in Washington D.C., as Qing Bao, a 3-year-old year-old female, and Bao Li, a 3-year-old male, begin a 30-day quarantine in the Panda House. Then: Takeaways from Monday's Operation Joint Sword 2024B around Taiwan, including the strategic value of these military exercises for the PRC, and the implications of normalizing this pattern of behavior. From there: Parsing the "stimulus" news over the last several days, including the strain on local governments, why reports suggest that Xi and the central government are taking action to help them, and heightened scrutiny on overseas investments. At the end: Following up on Bill's conversation about the 2024 US Election, a Financial Times report on PRC educators ordered to surrender their passport, and an emailer provides a look at the new quality productive forces in dentistry.
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Guessing about new bond issuance; Panda stimulus for US-China relations; Space plans; Tax collectors — Sinocism
More special bonds for fiscal stimulus?; Stock market surge; Water-filled submarine; MSS mad at New Zealand; Raising money by detaining private entrepreneurs — Sinocism
Giant pandas have returned to D.C. Meet Bao Li and Qing Bao. — Washington Post
China Counts Wild Pandas. Nobody Believes Its Tally — New York Times
The Panda Factories — New York Times
PRC Military Drills Near Taiwan — US Department of State
China ends war games around Taiwan, but leaves door open to more — Reuters
China throwing a ‘temper tantrum’ with Taiwan drills, key Democrat says — Semafor (May 2024)
China flags more fiscal stimulus for economy, leaves out key details on size — Reuters
Exclusive: China May Add 6 Trillion Yuan in Treasury Bonds to Buttress Economy — Caixin
Chinese Banks Set to Cut Deposit Rates as Soon as This Week — Bloomberg
Behind Xi Jinping’s Pivot on Broad China Stimulus — Wall Street Journal
China’s real intent behind its stimulus inflection — Financial Times
Wealth China Moves to Tax the Ultra-Rich for Overseas Investment Gains — Bloomberg
Substack Election Dialogues: China and the US election — Sinocism
China tells schoolteachers to hand in their passports — Financial Times
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the market's reactions to the NDRC press briefing on Tuesday, as Hong Kong saw all of last week's gains erased, while the PRC markets continued to see gains. Topics include: Misplaced expectations on the NDRC press conference, a National People's Congress meeting later in October that may articulate more concrete measures, and more thoughts on the continued volatility in the market themselves as well as commentary around the world. From there: An emailer has a question about a potential ByteDance IPO, a note on the broader concerns that persist in the PRC, and the EU passes tariffs on PRC EVs. At the end: A note on Taiwan National Day and the potential for an Operation Joint Sword 2024B, and a listener notes that Xi Jinping is leaving China far less frequently than he once did.
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Stock market volatility; Premier Li meetings on the economy; PRC goes after EU brandy; Wu Bangguo; Wang-Raimondo call; MSS on the "China Initiative" — Sinocism
Stock market expectations; EU EV tariffs; Taiwan; Pakistan terror attack; Vietnam fishing boat attack — Sinocism
China Markets Warn Xi That More Stimulus Is Needed to Fuel Rally — Bloomberg
China targets brandy in EU trade tit-for-tat after EV tariff move — Reuters
EU votes for tariffs on Chinese-made EVs in blockbuster trade row — SCMP
‘A very serious situation’: Volkswagen could close plants in Germany for the first time in history — CNN
Communist China not the motherland, says Taiwan’s president, because our republic is older — The Guardian
US concerned about Taiwan candidate — Financial Times (2011)
China is using an “anaconda strategy” to squeeze Taiwan — The Economist
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with revived animal spirits and the market response to the stimulus measures emerging from Beijing. Topics include: The September Politburo meeting as a sign of the government's commitment, why the capital markets may be a security priority for Xi, what might have motivated the sudden policy shift at the top, and parallels to the market responses in 2014. From there: The property sector and the multi-layered problem policymakers are attempting to solve, Blinken meets with Wang Yi in New York but still no word on a phone call between President Biden and Xi Jinping, a PRC nuclear submarine sinks, and a question about succession in the event of Xi's passing.
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Xi bull market 2.0?; More support for real estate; Wang Yi meets Blinken — Sinocism
More special bonds for fiscal stimulus?; Stock market surge; Water-filled submarine; MSS mad at New Zealand; Raising money by detaining private entrepreneurs — Sinocism
China stocks surge in biggest single-day rally since 2008 on stimulus cheer — Reuters
And Just Like That, China Did a Policy U-Turn (Again) — Wall Street Journal
China’s Housing Glut Collides With Its Shrinking Population — Wall Street Journal
Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with People’s Republic of China (PRC) Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi — U.S. Department of State
China’s Newest Nuclear Submarine Sank, Setting Back Its Military Modernization — Wall Street Journal
China concealed sinking of newest nuclear submarine, U.S. says — Nikkei Asia
Xi Jinping’s Succession Dilemma — Asia Society
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with revived animal spirits and the market response to the stimulus measures emerging from Beijing. Topics include: The September Politburo meeting as a sign of the government's commitment, why the capital markets may be a security priority for Xi, what might have motivated the sudden policy shift at the top, and parallels to the market responses in 2014. From there: The property sector and the multi-layered problem policymakers are attempting to solve, Blinken meets with Wang Yi in New York but still no word on a phone call between President Biden and Xi Jinping, a PRC nuclear submarine sinks, and a question about succession in the event of Xi's passing.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Xi bull market 2.0?; More support for real estate; Wang Yi meets Blinken — Sinocism
More special bonds for fiscal stimulus?; Stock market surge; Water-filled submarine; MSS mad at New Zealand; Raising money by detaining private entrepreneurs — Sinocism
China stocks surge in biggest single-day rally since 2008 on stimulus cheer — Reuters
And Just Like That, China Did a Policy U-Turn (Again) — Wall Street Journal
China’s Housing Glut Collides With Its Shrinking Population — Wall Street Journal
Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with People’s Republic of China (PRC) Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi — U.S. Department of State
China’s Newest Nuclear Submarine Sank, Setting Back Its Military Modernization — Wall Street Journal
China concealed sinking of newest nuclear submarine, U.S. says — Nikkei Asia
Xi Jinping’s Succession Dilemma — Asia Society
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a raft of measures announced this week to stimulate the economy. Topics include: A pop to the stock market just in time for the PRC's 75th anniversary, stimulating mergers and acquisitions, whether this week's measures indicate more relief in the months to come, and more. Then: The disappearance of prominent economist Zhu Hengpeng, and a reminder of structural problems under Xi that have continued to intensify, regardless of monetary policy. At the end: The Ministry of Commerce announces that the owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger is under investigation, the US Commerce Department moves forward with a proposed rule that would effectively ban Chinese vehicles from the US, and a Substack post offers a taxonomy of Democrat China policies and questions about who might set the agenda for a Kamala Harris administration.
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Addressing employment concerns; Stimulus!?; Connected vehicles and EU EV tariffs; CASS purge; Xinjiang cotton; ICBM test — Sinocism
September Politburo Meeting to Analyze and Study Current Economic Situation and Economic Work; Investors Pumped — Sinocism
China's central bank unveils most aggressive stimulus since pandemic — Reuters
Five Key Takeaways as China Unveils Stimulus to Boost Economy — Bloomberg
Xi’s Economic Adrenaline Shot Is Only Buying China a Little Time — Bloomberg
Top Economist in China Vanishes After Private WeChat Comments — Wall Street Journal
Beijing Threatens to Block Calvin Klein Owner’s Access to China — Wall Street Journal
US proposes banning Chinese software and components in vehicles — Financial Times
Relitigating China Policy — Matt Turpin
Washington’s Playbook for China Must Change — Foreign Policy
The Case Against the China Consensus — Foreign Affairs
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin by wishing a happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all. Then: The PRC government implements the Decision on Gradually Raising the Statutory Retirement Ages. Why was this necessary, why were the changes made now, and what might this signal about the rest of goals and reforms announced at the Third Plenum? From there: The PRC blockade at Xianbin Jiao/Sabina Shoal appears to have succeeded as the Philippines returns the BRP Theresa Magbanua to port, and questions persist as to when, and how, the US might deter PRC tactics in the South China Sea. At the end: The latest lobbying effort surrounding updated export controls, Japan's negotiations with the US over export controls, the Biden administration takes on the de minimis loophole, and TikTok’s trial begins in DC.
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Economic data; Retirement ages; A win for the PRC at Xianbin Jiao/Sabina Shoal?; US pastor released; US chip export controls — Sinocism
Overcapacity; National security; Japan and chip controls; Moutai; Big food concept — Sinocism
China Raises Retirement Age for the First Time Since the 1950s — New York Times
Commentary & Translation: China’s Plan to Raise Statutory Retirement Ages — NPC Observer
China’s working age population is shrinking — CNBC
U.S. 'ready' to assist Philippines with South China Sea resupplies — Nikkei
Video by Joseph Morong — X: @Joseph_Morong
Philippines Withdraws Ship From South China Sea Flashpoint — Bloomberg
Philippines Vows to Return to Disputed Shoal After Ship Pullout — Bloomberg
US strategists face dilemma over Beijing claim in South China Sea — Financial Times (2014)
China rams Philippine ship while 60 Minutes on board; South China Sea tensions could draw U.S. in — 60 Minutes
Thread from the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party — X: @committeeonccp
US and Japan near deal to curb chip technology exports to China — Financial Times
Analysis: China moves to play 'Okinawa card' over Japan's Taiwan stance — Nikkei
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Protect American Consumers, Workers, and Businesses by Cracking Down on De Minimis Shipments with Unsafe, Unfairly Traded Products — The White House
Court Appears Skeptical of TikTok’s Challenge to U.S. Ban — Wall Street Journal
How a Tariff Rule Aimed at China Could Affect U.S. Ad Spending — Wall Street Journal
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to last week's arrest of Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to governor Kathy Hochul. Topics include: The allegations contained in the Department of Justice indictment of Sun and her husband, the PRC efforts to influence local government officials around the world, the status of New York Consul General Huang Ping, and a report on the suppression of dissidents during Xi's APEC visit in November. From there: Updates on the overcapacity concerns around the world, a Bloomberg story on a $6.5 trillion stock rout, and reactions to a thoughtful Substack post on deleveraging efforts and deflation concerns in the midst of recent turmoil. At the end: An update on Qin Gang that may or may not resolve lingering questions, and a new rock bottom for the PRC men's soccer team.
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Xi at Education conference; US accuses PRC of more help for Russia's "war machine"; Deflation; Raising retirement age — Sinocism
Qin Gang's new job?; US business advisory for Hong Kong; Yi Gang on deflation; Xi on education — Sinocism
The Secrets of an Unassuming N.Y. Official Accused of Working for China — New York Times
A top Chinese official in NY is on the outs over the Linda Sun case. Or is he? — Gothamist
Linda Sun Indictment — United States District Court
Find the Cost of Interference — China Articles
Key takeaways from AP’s report on China’s influence in Utah — AP
How China extended its repression into an American city — Washington Post
Why China Is Starting a New Trade War — Wall Street Journal
There’s a China-Shaped Hole in the Global Economy — Wall Street Journal
China trade war ‘maybe unavoidable’, EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell warns — SCMP
The Downdraft — A Letter from Paul
China’s $6.5 Trillion Stock Rout Worsens Economic Peril for Xi — Bloomberg
China’s Deflationary Spiral Is Now Entering Dangerous New Stage — Bloomberg
The real problem with China’s economy — The Economist
China Should Fight Deflationary Pressure Now, Ex-PBOC Chief Says — Bloomberg
Chinese Localities Adopt ‘Sell Everything to Save the Day’ Policy to Ease Debt — Caixin
China’s ‘disappeared’ foreign minister demoted to low-level publishing job, say former U.S. officials — Washington Post
What China’s Property Gloom and Soccer Fiasco Have in Common — Wall Street Journal
China Football Association bans 43 after corruption probe — ESPN
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a look at the dialogue between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi. Topics include: Why meetings with Wang are valuable to the U.S. side, the progress the meetings have (and have not) yielded, and the strategy going forward. From there: Yet another clash between the PRC and the Philippines over the weekend, continued questions about when and how the U.S. may intervene, and updates on the next phase of chip controls as the Netherlands weighs a policy change, the PRC threatens retribution against Japan, and a cloud computing loophole persists. At the end: An emailer asks about Xi‘s speeches, and thoughts on the success of the best-selling video game in the world this week, Black Myth: Wukong.
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Xi on education; Escalating crisis at Sabina Shoal; FOCAC week; Toyota opposes more chip controls; A Gao Brother detained — Sinocism
Jake Sullivan meets Xi; Philippines resupplies ship at Sabina Shoal; ASML may stop servicing some PRC machines; HK sedition convictions — Sinocism
The inside story of the secret backchannel between the US and China — Financial Times
China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships in South China Sea — Reuters
If China wants Taiwan it should also take back land from Russia, president says — Reuters
As China’s power grows, candidates use it as attack line — Washington Post
ASML’s China Chip Business Faces New Curbs From Netherlands — Bloomberg
China Warns Japan of Retaliation for Possible New Chip Curbs — Bloomberg
Why China Is Starting a New Trade War — Wall Street Journal
There’s a China-Shaped Hole in the Global Economy — Wall Street Journal
China trade war ‘maybe unavoidable’, EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell warns — SCMP
Hit game Black Myth: Wukong faces backlash after telling players not to discuss ‘feminist propaganda’ — The Guardian
China’s first global gaming hit sells millions in a week. An early investor shares what’s next — CNBC
Black Myth: Wukong Final Trailer — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill return from the Beidaihe break with an update on a raft of Xi rumors and a programming note. Then: Back to the South China Sea, where good news at Second Thomas Shoal has quickly been overshadowed by an aerial incident at Scarborough Shoal and Monday's collision between PRC coast guard vessels and the Philippine coast guard. From there: A Foreign Affairs article outlining Beijing's perspective on the 2024 Presidential election in the US, three categories of American China strategists, and questions about Kamala Harris' approach to China. At the end: The scrutiny surrounding Tim Walz and his history of engagement with China, reports of a proposed rule on Chinese connected vehicle software, and a LiDAR company is removed from the Pentagon's blacklist.
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Xi meets Olympics team; Fiji PM and IPU delegation; PRC-Philippines tensions; US reacts to PRC’s evolving nuclear strategy; Real estate price cuts — Sinocism
Xi meets Vietnam General Secretary; Premier Li chairs State Council plenary and executive meetings; PRC-Philippines boat collisions — Sinocism
Philippines Fortifies South China Sea Outpost For a Decade — Bloomberg
Collisions Tear Holes in U.S. Ally’s Ships as Tensions Flare in South China Sea — Wall Street Journal
Does China Prefer Harris or Trump? — Foreign Affairs
Manila's provocations in South China Sea doomed to fail — China Military Online
The Case for a Clean Energy Marshall Plan — Foreign Affairs
How to talk China in 2024 — Breaking Beijing
Tim Walz, Harris’s VP pick, has a long history with China — Washington Post
Tim Walz’s long history with China shaped by horrors of Tiananmen — Financial Times
China is not an enemy — Washington Post
US expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous vehicles — Reuters
China’s Hesai to be removed from US defence department blacklist — Financial Times
The right’s serious minds have a Tim-Walz-Chinese-sleeper-agent theory — Washington Post
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a programming note for the next few weeks and various questions for the next few months of the Biden Administration. Topics include: A meeting between Secretary of State of Anthony Blinken and Wang Yi, more threats of escalating sanctions if the PRC supports Russian war efforts, what Kamala Harris China policies might look like, and whether the Commerce Department will take action on connected vehicles before November. From there: Rumors of Huawei’s demise were greatly exaggerated, and why sanctions may have focused PRC energy without achieving their intended goal. At the end: Quick reactions to Tuesday’s Politburo meeting, some very cautious optimism at Second Thomas Shoal, and surveying the PRC swimming controversy that came to light in April and continues to percolate this week in Paris.
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Meloni in Beijing; Wang-Blinken meeting; Sierra Madre resupply; National Internet IDs; CSRC tasks for H2; TikTok — Sinocism
Wang Yi Meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken — MofA
Blinken and a Top Chinese Official in Talks on U.S.-China Tensions — New York Times
EU’s Borrell Disputes China’s Take on Meeting About Middle East — Bloomberg
The U.S. Wanted to Knock Down Huawei. It’s Only Getting Stronger. — Wall Street Journal
July Politburo meeting to analyze the current economic situation and set out priorities for the second half of this year — Sinocism
Philippines Performs First Sierra Madre Resupply Since Inking Deal with China — USNI News
Warning signs blinking over swimmers’ anger at alleged Chinese doping scandal ahead of Olympics — CNN
Moolenaar, Krishnamoorthi, Blackburn, Van Hollen Introduce the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act — China Select Committee
Chinese swimmers at Paris Olympics deny doping accusations as diplomatic row grows — NPR
China, Citing Tainted Burgers, Cleared Swimmers in a New Doping Dispute — New York TImes
Usain Bolt Ate 100 Chicken McNuggets a Day in Beijing and Somehow Won Three Gold Medals — Time Magazine
Kamala Harris’s China Record Contrasts with Trump Focus on Trade — Wall Street Journal
A Program for Progressive China Policy — Quincy Institute
ASML, Tokyo Electron Shielded From US Chip Export Rules, For Now — Bloomberg
Exclusive: New US rule on foreign chip equipment exports to China to exempt some allies — Reuters
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the Third Plenum resolution, Xi’s explainer, and its reception among the investment community and China observers. Topics include: Why Xi staying the course should surprise no one, the significance of the five-year timeline set forth for reforms, specific domestic problems alongside broad rhetoric about goals and productive forces, and the external environment that serves as context for the party's priorities. From there: The party’s timeline for planning the plenum highlights the lack of leaks in the Xi era, and a reminder that trade tensions are unlikely to abate anytime soon. At the end: A variety of thoughts on news organizations and journalists navigating the environment in China and Hong Kong, and a few memories of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing before the Opening Ceremony in Paris this weekend.
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"Beijing Declaration" for Palestine; Plenum does not impress investors; Cleaning up financial sector; Biden rumors — Sinocism
Third Plenum Resolution and Xi's Explainer; MSS video; PRC-Philippines deal over Second Thoams Shoal resupply? — Sinocism
The lightness of Beijing’s third plenary — Finanical Times
Third Plenum Hot Takes: Skepticism and Concern — CSIS
News organizations undermine journalist groups, caving to Chinese pressure — Semafor
I pushed for press freedom in Hong Kong. The Wall Street Journal fired me. — Columbia Journalism Review
Code of Silence — Lingua Sinica
Bloomberg News Is Said to Curb Articles That Might Anger China — New York Times (2013)
Xi Jinping Millionaire Relations Reveal Elite Chinese Fortunes — Bloomberg (2012)
China’s Leaders Try to Impress and Reassure World — New York Times (2008)
Beijing Games to be costliest, but no debt legacy — Reuters (2008)
Bob Costas shares personal story on Beijing's playbook of repressing criticism — CNN
Full Opening Ceremony from Beijing 2008 — Olympics YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with an overview of the third plenum and its significance before turning to Thursday's communique in the wake of the plenum. Topics include: Official news on Qin Gang and Li Shangfu twelve months after they each disappeared, the wide-range of goals throughout the communique, questions as we wait for implementation, and the party's stated goal of completing its reform tasks by 2029. From there: The rumors swirling around Xi Jinping and his health this week, and follow-up to the controversy surrounding edible oils. At the end: Reactions to President Trump's comments on Taiwan and America as an insurance company, and two stories on the state of the Biden chip policy.
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Third Plenum communique; Disappointing or too early to tell?; Qin Gang may have a soft landing — Sinocism
Trump on Taiwan; PRC suspends arms control talks with US; More chip controls?; WSJ fires Selina Cheng; AI — Sinocism
Full text: Communique of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China — China Daily
China plenum vows reforms, accepts Qin Gang resignation — Nikkei Asia
Fact Check: Months-old photos of China’s Xi Jinping shared in July 2024 — Reuters
Intense Online Censorship Seeks to Dampen Scandal Over Unwashed Fuel Tankers Transporting Cooking Oil — China Digital Times
App that tracked fuel tankers in China used to transport cooking oil is disabled — The Guardian
The Donald Trump Interview Transcript — Bloomberg
US Floats Tougher Trade Rules to Rein In China Chip Industry — Bloomberg
Google, Microsoft Help Chinese Firms Skirt Ban on Nvidia Chips — The Information
As China boosts ties with Russia, Belarus, Europe ponders possible rising threat — SCMP
PRC DC Embassy on the political situation in Washington DC — Sinocism
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill prepare for next week’s Third Plenum by talking through expectations and themes to watch. Topics include: The signals from April's Xinhua readout announcing the plenary session, remembering third plenums of the past, why common prosperity is on the agenda, why this year's plenum may be the clearest articulation of Xi’s vision for the Party and the PRC, and examining some of the ongoing domestic issues that the Party may (or may not) try to address with reforms. At the end: A scandal over edible oils, the market for silicone masks, fierce competition in the bubble tea market, and checking in with Zach Edey.
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Plenum Countdown; Orban in Beijing; Floods; PRC says "Volt Typhoon" a US op; Edible oil in fuel tankers — Sinocism
Xi promotes a general; Symposium on the economic situation; Another cyber warning; Edible oil mess; Plenum; Inequality — Sinocism
China Focus: 20th CPC Central Committee to hold 3rd plenary session in July — Xinhua
Yao Yang on the resilience of China's economy — The East is Read
What to expect at the Chinese Communist Party’s most important meeting of the year — Atlantic Council
China’s Top Bankers Are Embracing Xi Jinping Thought, Chinese Communist Party — Bloomberg
China to probe alleged use of fuel tanker trucks carrying cooking oil — Reuters
China Confronts an Insidious New Privacy Risk: Lifelike Silicone Masks — Sixth Tone
Milk Tea Craze Is Bringing Out All China’s Wrongs — Bloomberg
Zach Edey NBA Highlights — X: @NBA
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill are joined by Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democratic representative for the 8th District of Illinois, and the ranking member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Topics include: The Select Committee's work to draft and pass legislation to force the divestiture of TikTok, investigations into American VC investments in PLA-linked PRC companies, how to tackle IP theft in tech, searching for fentanyl progress since the Biden-Xi visit in November, PRC behavior in the South China Sea, and more.
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House Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale From Chinese Owner or Ban the App — New York Times
TikTok’s hearing from hell — Politico
How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It — Wall Street Journal
Senators push to declassify TikTok briefings — The Verge
American VC Firms Investing Billions into PRC Companies Fueling the CCP's Military, Surveillance State, and Uyghur Genocide — The Select Committee on the CCP
Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi Call for Urgent Action to Reduce U.S. Dependence on PRC Foundational Chips — The Select Committee on the CCP
Investigation Findings: The CCP's Role in the Fentanyl Crisis — The Select Committee on the CCP
China throwing a ‘temper tantrum’ with Taiwan drills, key Democrat says — Semafor
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest incident at Second Thomas Shoal, where the Chinese Coast Guard blocked an attempted resupply of the Sierra Madre in a standoff that caused damage to Philippine Naval vessels and several injuries to members of the Navy. Topics include: Another escalation in a devolving relationship, whether the U.S. will intervene, why China has ignored Vietnam’s buildup elsewhere in the Spratly Islands, and more. Then: Reports that Beijing has no preference between Biden or Trump in the upcoming U.S. election, the significance of the CMC Political Work Conference after a year of speculation about corruption throughout the PRC military, a report that Xi told EU leadership the U.S. wants China to invade Taiwan, reactions to a disturbing account of a Pentagon-backed propaganda campaign in the Philippines, and an email about Mount Everest.
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Second Thomas Shoal; PLA rectification and political training; Tax; Moutai; Stock market; Ecuador — Sinocism
CMC Political Work Conference; Xi inspects Qinghai; Video from Second Thomas Shoal incident; Policy support for hard tech and venture capital — Sinocism
Video of Philippine Navy Confrontation with the Chinese Coast Guard on June 17, 2024 — X: @gmanews
US’ support for the Philippines is just psychological comfort — Global Times
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute — Financial Times
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute — Financial Times
China Has No Favorite in Biden-Trump Race, US Intelligence Finds — Bloomberg
Xi stresses PLA's political loyalty at crucial meeting held in old revolutionary base — Xinhua
How the Red Sun Rose — Columbia University Press
The Return of Peace Through Strength — Foreign Affairs
Xi Jinping claimed US wants China to attack Taiwan — Financial Times
Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic — Reuters
Myth of Mallory preserved in Everest's ice and snow — The Guardian
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Wednesday's announcement that the EU will increase tariffs on electric vehicles imported from the PRC, including potential responses from Beijing, the fissures among the EU coalition, the reality on the ground in and around Europe, and the war in Ukraine looming over the decisions from EU policymakers. From there: An attack on four U.S. teachers in Jilin City, the reactions among commentators in the U.S., and life for Americans living in the PRC. At the end: Xi Jinping asks entrepreneurs where all of China's billion-dollar startups have gone, questions about how Apple's AI plans might work in China, and an extended discussion of corruption among the party and the PLA, the baseline opacity of investigations, and a few memorable cases from the past.
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EU EV tariffs; Affordable housing; PLA rectification and political training; Russia-related sanctions; Third Plenum — Sinocism
Reform meeting; Jilin stabbings; PLA corruption; Wang Yi at BRICS Plus; Sanctions — Sinocism
European Union Hits E.V.s From China With Extra Tariffs Up to 38% — New York Times
EU to hit Chinese electric cars with tariffs of up to 48% — Financial Times
Ain’t No Duty High Enough — Rhodium Group
4 Instructors From Iowa College Are Attacked in Public Park in China — New York Times
The United States used to have cachet in China. Not anymore. — Washington Post
Xi Asks a Unicorn Question. Head-Scratching Follows. — Wall Street Journal
Apple’s top software engineer on AI: “We wanted to establish an entirely different bar” (Exclusive) — Fast Company
Exclusive: Fallen Chief of Bad-Asset Manager Had Tons of Cash — Literally — Caixin
A Second Ex-Huarong Executive Sentenced to Death Over Bribery — Bloomberg
China's Gilded Age: The Paradox of Economic Boom and Vast Corruption — Yuen Yuen Ang
In the Name of the People — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with PRC messaging at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, including the US responses to new Defense Minister Dong Jun, how neighboring countries perceive the divergence between PRC rhetoric and PRC actions, and takeaways from Operation Joint Sword-2024A. From there: Parsing Xi's January speech on "New Quality Productive Forces" in advance of the third plenum, overcapacity is becoming a political problem more than an economic debate, and a Financial Times story sheds light on the state of Russia-China negotiations surrounding the Siberia 2 pipeline. At the end: Bill remembers his time in China during the spring of 1989, thoughts on the structural forces that have suppressed memories of June 4 inside China, and lessons that the party has internalized in the decades that followed.
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Xi on New Quality Productive Forces; Shangri-La Dialogue; PRC-Russia; Crackdown on "money exchange gangs" — Sinocism
Joint Sword-2024A around Taiwan; Xi in Shandong; G7; Huawei — Sinocism
China hits out at ‘aggressive’ Taiwan for military build-up — Financial Times
A tale of dialogues at the Shangri-La: Getting the Chinese message across in various ways — The Straits Times
Unleashing “new quality productive forces”: China’s strategy for technology-led growth — Brookings
Thread by Michael Pettis — X: @michaelxpettis
Russia-China gas pipeline deal stalls over Beijing’s price demands — Financial Times
Watching China in Europe—June 2024 — German Marshall Fund
China says it will not join Swiss peace conference on Ukraine — Reuters
Zelenskyy accuses China of helping Russia sabotage peace summit — Politico
China: Closing Off Memory of Tiananmen Massacre — Human Rights Watch
Statement From the Tiananmen Mothers on the 35th Anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre — Human Rights in China
Keeping the Memory of June Fourth Alive — Lingua Sinica
On the 35th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square — U.S. State Department
Giant pandas returning to DC’s National Zoo — Fox 5 DC
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with President William Lai’s inauguration in Taiwan, including the PRC responses we've seen so far, recent activity around Kinmen island, and a Bloomberg report that ASML’s EUV machines can be shut down remotely in the event of an invasion of Taiwan. From there: Friday’s announcement of relief plans for the real estate sector, and more thoughts on the challenges facing policymakers as they look to revive consumer sentiment. Then: Questions on the People's Bank of China, a recent push into gold purchases, EV capacity, tariffs on foreign cars, and the latest Central Committee member to be investigated for corruption. At the end: Temu and Shein inspire a Saturday Night Live skit, and Rep. Mike Gallagher is formally sanctioned by the PRC.
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New Taiwan President; PRC reactions; Real estate; New bull market in Shanghai?; EU trade threa — Sinocism
"Pillar of shame" for Lai; Wang Yi at SCO; Gallagher sanctioned; XiAI; Guo Youcai; Ben Lim — Sinocism
Full text of President Lai Ching-te's inaugural address — Focus Taiwan
Mainland says Lai sends "dangerous signal" in speech as Taiwan's new leader — Xinhua
China has a point about Taiwan’s new leader — Financial Times
Thousands protest against contentious Taiwan parliament reforms — Reuters
Record number of Chinese ships enter Taiwan waters near Kinmen island — RFA
China's property support measures disappoint — Reuters
What China’s central bank and Costco shoppers have in common — The Economist
ASML and TSMC Can Disable Chip Machines If China Invades Taiwan — Bloomberg
How China’s EV overcapacity has come to a head after 15 years, and what’s in store for the industrial policy race with US and EU — SCMP
China Has Gotten the Trade War It Deserves — The Atlantic
China Hints at Retaliation in Trade Clash With Europe — Bloomberg
China Says Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian Is Under Investigation — Bloomberg
China sanctions former Rep. Mike Gallagher, a fierce critic of Beijing — NBC News
Hudson’s Mike Gallagher’s Statement in Response to CCP Sanctions — The Hudson Institute
Fast Fashion Ad - SNL — YouTube: Saturday Night Live
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with an overview of the new tariffs announced by President Biden this week, including the implications for America's green energy industries, the evolving scope of global competitive realities, and a variety of questions for future US policymakers. From there: Why Beijing may be reluctant to issue a substantive response to US tariffs while the EU refines its own tariff policies on EVs, and Vladimir Putin's visit to China highlights the delicate balance Beijing has tried to strike between capitalizing on the relationship with Russia and maintaining its ties to Europe. At the end: The many hurdles facing policymakers trying to restore the real estate sector, a New York Times op-ed about TikTok, an update on the Michael Chang documentary that was delayed last year, and Pink Floyd in Sichuan.
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Xi-Putin; Real estate meeting Friday; US-China — Sinocism
US Tariffs; Putin to China; April credit contraction; Taiwan; UK; Qinghai court drama — Sinocism
President Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade Practices — The White House
US-China Trade War, Volume 2 — Rhodium Group
US factories under threat from 'unprecedented wave' of Chinese solar panel imports — Recharge
Asian Solar Imports Are Subject of New US Commerce Probe — Bloomberg
EU feels heat from all sides as decision on Chinese EV duties looms — SCMP
Chinese solar groups pull out of tender after EU anti-subsidy probe — Financial Times
China Considers Government Buying of Unsold Homes to Save Property Market — Bloomberg
Cover Story: Will China’s Latest Policy Call-to-Arms Turn the Ailing Property Market Around? — Caixin
The End of TikTok Is a Propaganda Win for Beijing — New York Times
ESPN Films Announces Upcoming 30 for 30 Summer 2024 Programming Slate — ESPN
ESPN Films Announces 30 for 30 Documentary “American Son” on Tennis Player Michael Chang — ESPN (2022)
Kids from Leshan, Sichuan-based music school perform Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” — X: @Byron_Wan
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with takeaways from Xi Jinping’s visit to France, Serbia and Hungary, where topics included cognac, "so-called overcapacity", the war in Ukraine, and Ambassador Lu Shaye twelve months after his comments about post-Soviet states. From there: The People’s Daily and other party media went dark for much of the day on Tuesday, and the Biden administration does not renew export licenses that allow Intel and Qualcomm to supply Huawei with semiconductors for computers and mobile phones. At the end: The latest twist in the dispute at Second Thomas Shoal, an Australian helicopter takes evasive action to avoid the PLA, ByteDance and TikTok take their fight to court, and a book rec for anyone interested in the origins of the GDP metric.
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Xi in France; Overcapacity; Chinese modernization; PRC-Philippines; Real estate — Sinocism
Xi in Europe; Bytedance and TikTok sue the US; PRC-Philippines "gentleman's agreement" mess; Hauwei; AI — Sinocism
Macron’s cognac — the only thing that went down smoothly with Xi — Politico
Macron puts trade and Ukraine as top priorities as China’s Xi opens European visit in France — AP
Emmanuel Macron in his own words (English) — Economist
Xi Jinping lashes out at Nato over 1999 Belgrade bombing ahead of Serbia visit — Financial Times
China’s Mouthpieces Go Quiet — China Media Project
US revokes licences for supply of chips to China’s Huawei — Financial Times
U.S. assessing if China's SMIC broke U.S. rules to make Huawei chip — CNBC
Wescom chief agreed to China's 'new model' — Manila Times
Australian helicopter forced to take evasive action after Chinese fighter detonates flares — ABC Australia
China slams Australian military for ‘disrupting’ drill after Yellow Sea helicopter confrontation — SCMP
TikTok Taps Covington, Mayer Brown in Fight for US Survival — Bloomberg
TikTok's Free Speech Lawsuit Has a Logic Problem — Bloomberg
Despite international hires, TikTok is Chinese at its core — Rest of World
Growth: A History and a Reckoning — David Susskind
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a surprise, 24-hour trip to China for Elon Musk, and a Sunday meeting with Premier Li Qiang. Topics include: The Musk meeting as PRC response to mounting scrutiny in the US, the benefits to both sides of the Tesla-PRC relationship, and why this week's news may not answer Tesla's long term questions in the Chinese market. From there: Parsing the readout from the April Politburo meeting, including insights into how leadership sees the economy now, an announcement for the long-awaited Third Plenum, and policy changes that may or may not materialize in the months to come. At the end: Takeaways from Secretary of State Blinken's visit to Beijing last week, Xi Jinping prepares to travel to the EU amid a flurry of investigations into PRC entities and actors, and an emailer asks about the veracity of officially reported PRC economic data.
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Politburo meeting and a July Third Plenum; Beijing relaxes some housing restrictions; Scarborough Shoal tensions — Sinocism
Xi to Europe; MSS head on the "five antis"; Musk's big Beijing trip; Housing restrictions; RMB; Kinmen patrols — Sinocism
Elon Musk flies in to meet China’s premier as Tesla fights local rivals — Financial Times
Elon Musk Can’t Solve Tesla’s China Crisis With His Desperate Asia Visit — Wired
Politburo meeting and announcement of Third Plenum in July — Sinocism
Macron plans to charm Xi in the Pyrénées — Politico EU
President Xi Jinping Meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken — MoFA
Blinken Meets With Xi as U.S. Pressures China to End Support for Russia — Wall Street Journal
China Has Crossed Biden’s Red Line on Ukraine — Wall Street Journal
Thread from Finbarr Bermingham — X: @fbermingham
永恒的经典！窦唯 《艳阳天》 — YouTube: TheXQL1100
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's trip to Beijing and Shanghai this week, including reports that the Blinken plans to warn PRC counterparts about their continued commercial support of Russia's defense industry, and additional reports that the U.S. has drafted sanctions that could be levied against Chinese banks facilitating that support. From there: The many flashpoints that have emerged since Xi Jinping and Joe Biden shared their "San Francisco Vision," talking points from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance of Blinken's visit, and interesting language from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson late last week. Then: The House TikTok legislation is about to become law, what TikTok may do next, and questions surrounding the PLA's new Information Support Force. At the end: A recent scandal for Chinese swimming inspires memories from the '90s and commentary from Ambassador Rahm Emanuel.
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Xi in Chongqing; MoFA on Blinken visit; Financial sanctions over support for Russia? QE talk again; Another alleged PRC spy in Germany — Sinocism
PLA's new Information Support Force; Blinken to PRC; TikTok; Swimming scandal; UK and Germany espionage arrests — Sinocism
Blinken to warn China over weapons-related exports to Russia — Financial Times
U.S. Takes Aim at Chinese Banks Aiding Russia War Effort — Wall Street Journal
Sanctions, SWIFT, and China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payments System — CSIS
Chinese foreign ministry official on U.S. secretary of state's upcoming visit to China — Xinhua
TikTok fortune of billionaire Republican donor Jeff Yass threatened by Washington — Financial Times
Chinese diplomats are quietly meeting with Hill staffers about TikTok — Politico
China Orders Apple to Remove Popular Messaging Apps — Wall Street Journal
‘Team USA Was Cheated’: Chinese Doping Case Exposes Rift in Swimming — New York Times
Top Chinese Swimmers Tested Positive for Banned Drug, Then Won Olympic Gold — New York Times
Chinese generosity in lead-up to cleared doping tests reflects its growing influence on WADA — AP
Post by Ambassador Rahm Emanuel — X: USAmbJapan
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with takeaways from the meeting between Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, including muted messaging on overcapacity concerns, Germany’s investments in the PRC market, and a request for Xi Jinping to broker peace in Ukraine. From there: Economic data from Q1 in China, and a question about Beijing's calculus in the face of mounting tension between Iran and Israel. At the end: National Security Day and more anecdotes from the MSS, memories from Bill’s time translating Chinese literature in the early 90s, journalist Vicky Xu shines a light on transnational harassment in Australia, and Fortune Magazine delivers the latest blow to TikTok's claims of independence from ByteDance.
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National Security Day; Nine guidelines for capital markets; Scholz in China; PRC on Iran attack; TikTok — Sinocism
Q1 GDP; Xi-Scholz; National Security; Microsoft and G42; Donkeys — Sinocism
Olaf Scholz joins TikTok with a pledge: ‘I won’t dance’ — Politico
@teambundeskanzler — TikTok
Scholz wants Xi to stop Russia’s war. Xi wants Europe to stop trade war. — Politico
Why Germany's Scholz is bowing to the Chinese dragon — Politico
Post by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz — X: @Bundeskanzler
US says China is supplying missile and drone engines to Russia — Financial Times
China’s economy expands by a surprisingly strong pace in the first quarter of 2024 — CNN
Biden’s options for retaliating against Iran risk antagonizing China — Washington Post
China reveals it executed scientist for spying in 2016 in documentary about ‘shocking’ cases — SCMP
How it feels to live under surveillance by China — The Saturday Paper
Powerful Senator Crafts TikTok Crackdown — Wall Street Journal
Some ex-TikTok employees say the social media service worked closely with its China-based parent despite claims of independence — Fortune
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with takeaways from Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen's visit to China, including what her meetings may or may not accomplish and the likely next steps for the Biden Administration in the months to come. From there: As the US and Europe grapple with the threat of cheaper PRC goods in key industries, how might China respond to raised tariffs around the world? Will there be consequences for continued support of Russia's defense industrial base? And how realistic is the deterrence strategy articulated by Ambassador Rahm Emanuel this week? At the end: A question about Xi's vision for the PRC financial system, the deepening partnership between the US and Japan, the US and allies conduct naval exercises in the South China Sea, and a question about Tesla's 0% financing for PRC customers.
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China Shock 2.0 Sparks Global Backlash Against Flood of Cheap Goods — Wall Street Journal
US should not politicise trade issues, China’s Li Qiang tells Janet Yellen in response to ‘overcapacity’ concerns — SCMP
US and China agree to start new talks on 'balanced' economic growth — France 24
China Providing Geospatial Intelligence to Russia, US Warns — Bloomberg
How Billions in Bitcoin Laundered From China Ended Up in British Hands — Caixin
Financial Development with Chinese Characteristics; Taiwan Earthquake; Yellen; NDRC support for private sector; Tesla — Sinocism
Yellen enjoys a beer at the now Carlsberg-owned Jing A in Beijing — Image
U.S. Amb. to Japan Rahm Emanuel: China’s most persistent & pernicious economic strategy is coercion — CNBC
Rahm on China: Colorful Diplomacy, Alliances, and the Military-Industrial Complex — ChinaTalk
China says it patrolled the South China Sea in an apparent response to US naval drills with allies — AP
Aukus weighs expanding security pact to deter China in Indo-Pacific — Financial Times
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on April 8, 2024 — MOFA
Substack Note from Bill Bishop — @sinocism
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with takeaways from Tuesday’s phone call between President Biden and President Xi, including the PRC rhetoric surrounding US trade and tech policies, and messages to both domestic audiences and allies. From there: Janet Yellen’s visit to China and her evolving stance on PRC exports, the March Politburo meeting comes and goes without plenum news, Xi meets with U.S. business leaders, and Harvard’s Graham Allison emerges as a potential Henry Kissinger successor. At the end: Escalating rhetoric and the latest confrontation between the PRC and the Philippines, Tesla’s latest sales numbers and structural challenges in the PRC, and the debut of 3 Body Problem on Netflix.
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Xi-Biden call; More US tech controls coming?; NDRC on equipment and consumer upgrades; Another Justice Minister goes down — Sinocism
March Politburo meeting; PRC-Philippines tensions; Xi's meeting with US VIPs — Sinocism
Joe Biden and Xi Jinping have ‘candid’ phone call in first engagement since November — Financial Times
US and EU officials talk China in Belgium — Politico EU
Janet Yellen Missed the First ‘China Shock.’ Can She Stop the Second? — Wall Street Journal
China's Xi meets American CEOs in bid to boost confidence in ailing economy — NBC News
Thread by Graham Allison — X: @GrahamTAllison
Professor Graham ‘Thucydides Trap’ Allison’s Three-Body Problem — China Heritage
'China and US are inseparable, conjoined Siamese twins:' Graham Allison — Global Times
Post by Joseph Morong — X: @Joseph_Morong
Tesla’s Shrinking China Market Share Compounds Global Woes — Bloomberg
[4K Ver.] ENG SUB [Three-Body] EP01 — YouTube: Tencent Video
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the Ministry of State Security providing its interpretation of the Cybersecurity Law. Topics include: The odd timing of this message as debate roils over TikTok, the legal and regulatory framework that’s emerged under Xi, and the lack of anonymity on the PRC internet. From there: The Hong Kong legislature passes Article 23 faster than expected, and an update on the state of the TikTok legislation as the Senate prepares for an intel briefing on Wednesday. Then: Lessons from the solar industry as domestic suppliers in the EU and US struggle to compete with the PRC, Liu Jianchao offers clarifying commentary on China's approach to the Global South, Rahm Emanuel talks to Semafor, and Zach Edey takes center stage in the NCAA Tournament.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
MSS on cybersecurity law; Wang Yi; Handan murder; CSRC; Liu Jianchao on the Global South — Sinocism
Article 23, Xi in Hunan; Action plan to encourage foreigners to "invest in China"; 400B RMB spent on stock market rescue?; AI dialogue — Sinocism
MSS’ interpretation on Cybersecurity Law highlights prioritization of critical information infrastructure — Global Times
Hong Kong Article 23; No Plenum and Another Market Setback; Trump and Taiwan; TikTok in Congress — Sharp China
Why is Hong Kong fast-tracking its Article 23 domestic national security law? Catching enemies off guard among key reasons, sources say — SCMP
After TikTok bill sails through House, senators pump the brakes — Washington Post
TikTok Deal Is Complicated by New Rules From China Over Tech Exports (2020) — New York Times
TikTok Struggles to Protect U.S. Data From Its China Parent — Wall Street Journal
EU snubs dying solar manufacturers as China poised to swallow market — Politico
US solar manufacturers in ‘dire situation’ as imports soar — Financial Times
Solar Zugzwang — Doomberg
Dirty Secret — Doomberg
‘Have I stopped saying anything?’ Rahm Emanuel on China, Japan, and sitting out a historic U.S. election — Semafor
Zach Edey Is Just Different — The Ringer
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a week of surprising progress for the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. With the House set to vote Wednesday, they discuss the origins of the bill and months of work behind the scenes, TikTok’s now-infamous in-app alert, and why Beijing is likely to oppose any divestment plan if the bill eventually becomes law. From there: The factions in Washington that are opposing this bill, regulatory obstacles for American Internet companies in China, alignment or lack thereof between US business interests and Beijing, and what the next few months for TikTok and Congress could signify. At the end: A report that Li Qiang won’t attend this year’s China Development Forum, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius lobbies for lower tariffs in the EU, and a few final notes from the Two Sessions.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Bytedance/TikTok should be panicking; Two Sessions; Houses are for living in; Debt; Online nationalist frenzies — Sinocism
Xinhua says Xi a reformer like Deng; TikTok; PRC-Philippine discussions leaked; Vanke; Premier Li — Sinocism
TikTok Crackdown Shifts Into Overdrive, With Sale or Shutdown on Table — Wall Street Journal
How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It — Wall Street Journal
Annual Threat Assment of the U.S. Intelligence Community — ODNI
House's bipartisan bid to rein in TikTok looks set to stall in the Senate — Politico
Post by Brendan Carr on X — @BrendanCarrFCC
Donald Trump Opposes TikTok Ban Because It Would Boost Business for Facebook and ‘Zuckerschmuck,’ a ‘True Enemy of the People’ — Variety
TikTok Struggles to Protect U.S. Data From Its China Parent — Wall Street Journal
Chinese president snubs Mark Zuckerberg’s request for baby name — The Telegraph
How Microsoft’s Bing Helps Maintain Beijing’s Great Firewall — Bloomberg
Mercedes-Benz boss urges Brussels to cut tariffs on Chinese EVs — Financial Times
Exclusive: Chinese Premier Li to skip meeting with global CEOs at key business summit — Reuters
Post by China in Pictures on X — @taongbingxue
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with takeaways from the Two Sessions, including the work report from Premier Li Qiang, what to make of the 5% GDP growth target for 2024, the cancellation of Li's press conference, Xi Jinping’s visit to the Jiangsu breakout session and his message on new productive forces and economic development, and the evolution of the Two Sessions in recent years. From there: The latest exchange between the Philippines and the PRC in the South China Sea, the Biden White House announces an investigation into Chinese Connected Vehicles, and there’s a bipartisan bill in the House that will renew the TikTok conversation in D.C.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
No big surprises in the NPC work report; Xi talks new productive forces with Jiangsu delegation; Second Thomas Shoal; TikTok — Sinocism
Two sessions; Talking up the economy’s bright prospects; US-China; "Pseudo-middle class trap" — Sinocism
China’s Premier Steps Deeper Into Xi’s Shadow — Wall Street Journal
Xi’s One-Man Rule Over China’s Economy Is Spurring Unrest — Bloomberg
Philippines says crew hurt, vessels damaged by China Coast Guard — ABS-CBN News
Video from Armed Forces of the Philippines — @barnabychuck
Statement from President Biden on Addressing National Security Risks to the U.S. Auto Industry — The White House
US Probes Security Risks in Chinese Cars, Mulls Curbs — Bloomberg
China's global auto strength: Why cost advantage is key for Chinese automakers — CNBC Television YouTube
Lawmakers introduce bill that would punish app stores for hosting TikTok — The Verge
TikTok Policy Response to Legislation — @TikTok Policy
Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act Draft Bill — Punchbowl News
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with an overview of the CPPCC, the NPC and what to expect as the Two Sessions begin this weekend. Topics include: Xi’s recent absence from public view, the resignation of Qin Gang as an NPC delegate, Li Shangfu’s removal from the party CMC’s official website, Li Qiang’s first work report as premier, and why Xi Jinping’s is unlikely to echo last year’s comments on the US. From there: Reactions to the I-SOON leaks as evidence of PRC hacking continues to circulate around the world, while Congress has questions for Elon Musk about SpaceX in Taiwan and whether the company is fulfilling its obligations to the US government. At the end: News on the Village Basketball Association, Joe Tsai’s Brooklyn Nets celebrate Lunar New Year, and Pandas are coming back to San Diego and (probably) Washington D.C.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Qin Gang; State secrets law; New Productive Forces 新质生产力; Consumption stimulus; Cyber power — Sinocism
Taiwan; WTO; Li Shangfu; US-China; E-Bikes — Sinocism
Covering China’s National People’s Congress and its Standing Committee — NPC Observer
China’s former foreign minister Qin Gang resigns from legislature after long absence from public view — SCMP
Ousted Defense Minister Li Shangfu Removed from Top Military Body — Caixin Global
China’s ‘two sessions’ 2023: Xi Jinping directly accuses US of leading Western suppression of China — SCMP
Leaked Files Show the Secret World of China’s Hackers for Hire — New York Times
i-SOON Data Leak — Malcore
House China committee demands Elon Musk open SpaceX Starshield internet to U.S. troops in Taiwan — CNBC
Tesla's Shanghai Factory: The Golden Goose that Became a Geopolitical Bargaining Chip — Motorhead
China military must be able to destroy Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites if they threaten national security: scientists — SCMP
Inaugural Village BA national championship to tip off in March — Global Times
Brooklyn Nets hold Chinese New Year celebration at Barclays Center during game — Yahoo! News
Black and white and adored all over. China pledges pair of pandas for San Diego Zoo — AP
Happy Year of the Dragon from the Brooklyn Nets! — @BrooklynNets
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with recent meetings between US officials and PRC counterparts in Munich and Vienna, including complaints from both Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong that the U.S. has harassed PRC students trying to enter the U.S., as well as a note about China's designation as a "major drug source country." From there: The MSS takes to WeChat to criticize the CIA, while the FBI Director warns the Munich Security Forum that Chinese malware capabilities have reached an unprecedented scale. From there: A Financial Times op-ed argues that America has done a poor job countering PRC information warfare, and Congressional staffers debate a blacklist policy for lobbying firms doing business with select PRC entities. At the end: Congressman Mike Gallagher announces he won't seek reelection, while Lionel Messi explains himself (again).
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Holiday data OK; Emancipating minds; Kinmen; Party History; Wang Yi in Europe — Sinocism
China protests treatment of its students at Dulles and other U.S. entry points — NBC News
Memorandum on Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2024 — The White House
Spycraft and Statecraft — Foreign Affairs
National security authority accuses CIA of ‘bringing suit against its victims’ in bilingual article, showing anti-spy moves justified, legitimate — Global Times
FBI Director Says China Cyberattacks on U.S. Infrastructure Now at Unprecedented Scale — Wall Street Journal
The US needs a better strategic narrative or it will cede influence to China — Financial Times
Lawmakers weigh blacklist for firms lobbying for Chinese military-linked companies — Politico
TikTok hires Biden-connected firm as it finds itself under D.C.’s microscope — Politico
GOP Rising Star and China Watchdog Mike Gallagher to Quit Congress — Wall Street Journal
After fallout in China, Messi insists politics had nothing to do with missing game in Hong Kong — AP News
Lionel Messi's official statement about missing the game in Hong Kong — YouTube
John Cena apologises to China for calling Taiwan a country (english subtitles) — YouTube
China, U.S. agree to implement consensus of San Francisco summit — English.gov.CN
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with another week of volatility in and around the PRC markets, including a crash on Monday, stabilization as the week unfolded, reports of a meeting between Xi and regulators, and changes at the CSRC. Then: For the first time in 17 years Mexico has supplanted China as the biggest U.S. trade partner, which raises questions about the future of the bilateral trade relationship and volume of PRC goods that have been diverted through countries like Mexico and Vietnam. At the end: The future of green energy manufacturing in the EU and China, a look at the sad and absurd week of controversy surrounding Lionel Messi, and a Happy Lunar New Year to all Sharp China listeners.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
CSRC head replaced; Government wants more EV exports; Wei Fenghe absence; Messi’s groin good enough for Japan — Sinocism
Stocks; Xi Thought; Nukes — Sinocism
Xi Can’t Use 2015 Playbook to Calm China Markets, Investors Say — Bloomberg
Xi to Discuss China Stocks With Regulators as Rescue Bets Build — Bloomberg
China’s Economy Is in Serious Trouble — New York Times
Hitting China's Wall — New York Times
China’s well-to-do are under assault from every side — The Economist
How a U.S. Embassy post about giraffes became an outlet for despair about China’s tumbling stock markets — NBC News
China dethroned as top source of US imports after 17 years, replaced by Mexico: census data — SCMP
A China-U.S. Decoupling? You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet — Wall Street Journal
EU mum as solar industry time bomb ticks — Politico
With solar industry in crisis, Europe in a bind over Chinese imports — Reuters
Messi is playing in a match that concerns integrity: Global Times editorial — Global Times
China says Messi's absence in Hong Kong match beyond 'realm of sports' as fury builds — Reuters
Josh Ye — @ByJoshYe
The 2024 CMG Spring Festival Gala — CCTV YouTube Channel
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to the revival of Article 23 and thoughts on the landscape in Hong Kong as its laws continue to converge with the mainland. Then: A step back for the stock markets after last week’s stabilization efforts, another politburo meeting comes and goes without any announcement of a plenum, and a question about buying real estate in China. At the end: A listener has a question about President Trump and Taiwan, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is grilled by Senator Tom Cotton, Secretary Raimondo has concerns about EV data collection, and it’s the one-year anniversary of the spy balloon.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Article 23 for Hong Kong; Real estate; Economic policy; Bill Burns on China — Sinocism
Stock Market; China Evergrande liquidation; US-China; Another missile cadre goes down — Sinocism
Hong Kong unveils new security law in further repeal of liberties — Nikkei Asia
Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai pleads not guilty to sedition and collusion charges — AP
Hong Kong announces plans to ‘trawl the world for talents’ — CNBC
China Stocks Sink to Five-Year Low as Traders Unwind Rescue Bets — Bloomberg
China Politburo Avoids Setting Date for Key Economic Meeting — Bloomberg
China Says Trump Could Abandon Taiwan If He Wins US Election — Bloomberg
Trump says Taiwan 'took our business away' — MSNBC YouTube Channel
Tom Cotton Unflinchingly Grills TikTok's CEO At Senate Hearing On Child Online Safety — Forbes YouTube Channel
Cotton defends pressing TikTok CEO on ties to Chinese Communist Party — The Hill
TikTok Struggles to Protect U.S. Data From Its China Parent — Wall Street Journal
Jake Sullivan on the Future of US-China Relations — CFR
Raimondo Says Chinese EVs Are a National Security Risk For US, EU — Asia Financial
Spy Balloon Memories — Politico EU
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with an expanding list of sensitive sites around China at which Tesla vehicles have been deemed a security risk. With the PRC electric vehicle industry expanding every year, what does the future look like for Elon Musk and Tesla in China? And as PRC auto manufacturing outpaces domestic demand, how might the rest of the world react as Chinese cars flood foreign markets? Then: A few new messages and policies emerge as Beijing’s response to weak investor sentiment begins to crystallize and the markets appear to stabilize. At the end: More questions about the PRC response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, a meeting this weekend between Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi, and the latest adventures on WeChat from the Ministry of State Security.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Wang-Sullivan meeting; Stocks go up; Clean energy and GDP; ASML — Sinocism
RRR cut; Talking up the stock market; Liu Jianchao; Teslas and security; Red Sea — Sinocism
Tesla cars face more entry bans in China as 'security concerns' accelerate — Nikkei Asia
Elon Musk: China automakers would 'demolish' rivals without trade barriers — Nikkei Asia
Musk Pulls Off Dance Moves at Tesla's Shanghai Plant — Bloomberg Television YouTube
Lithium price plunges on slowing Chinese demand for electric vehicles — Financial Times
Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights on the rise of the China vehicle industry — Sinocism Podcast
China Says EU’s ‘Unfair’ EV Subsidies Probe Risks Damaging Ties — Bloomberg
Security recall: The risk of Chinese electric vehicles in Europe — ECFR
Jake Sullivan and China’s top diplomat to hold back-channel talks — Financial Times
US urges China to help curb Red Sea attacks by Iran-backed Houthis — Financial Times
‘Opportunistic’ Chinese lines send ships to serve Red Sea ports — Financial Times
Exclusive: China presses Iran to rein in Houthi attacks in Red Sea, sources say — Reuters (published after recording)
MSS cracks a successful honey trap — MSS (Sinocism Translation)
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with last weekend’s election in Taiwan, where William Lai and the DPP retained their hold on the presidency but lost a majority in legislature. Topics include: The reactions from China and around the world, continued questions about a timeline for reunification, Hong Kong as a cautionary tale for the Taiwanese, Nauru and the United Nations, and sparring between the Foreign Ministry and the Philippines. From there: Li Qiang delivers good news to Davos, investors in China and Hong Kong remain wary, and one year after China announced to the world it was open for business, several factors have left confidence among the foreign investment community at an all-time low. At the end: The world waits for to China to take action in the Red Sea, a question about cannabis crackdowns in Hong Kong, and a documentary heralds a new crackdown on soccer corruption.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Taiwan election; Wang Yi on the Red Sea; Li does Davos; Baidu buying opportunity? — Sinocism
Xi on financial development; Premier Li's Davos speech; MSS on Taiwan; Spring Festival travel — Sinocism
Election result can't change fact that Taiwan is part of China, says Chinese FM — CCTV
Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Andrew Sorkin of CNBC — U.S. Department of Statee
Hong Kong a cautionary tale as China looms over Taiwan's election — NBC News
Taiwan loses diplomatic recognition of Nauru in wake of election — Financial Times
The Distortion of UN Resolution 2758 and Limits on Taiwan’s Access to the United Nations — German Marshall Fund
China warns Philippines not to ‘play with fire’ over president’s Taiwan remarks — Reuters
Philippines defence minister calls out China official for “gutter-level talk” — Reuters
A big Chinese delegation unnerves U.S. diplomats in Davos — Politico
China Stock Rout Deepens as Data Stoke Recovery Concerns — Bloomberg
Did China’s Economy Really Grow 5.2% in 2023? Not All Agree — Bloomberg
Beijing tells some investors not to sell as Chinese stock rout resumes — Financial Times
Charts This Week #1 & Publishing Update — Real China Chahrts
US escalates Red Sea tensions, while China voices fairness — Global Times
Why maritime ships are signaling their Chinese identity in the Red Sea — Semafor
How Chinese Marijuana Operations Cropped Up in Small-Town America — Wall Street Journal
Why Does China Remain Terrible at Soccer? Xi Jinping Has One Answer — Wall Street Journal
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a note about this weekend’s elections in Taiwan before turning back to the upheaval in the PLA. Topics include: Bloomberg's reporting on a US intelligence assessment, realism on PRC capabilities, the history of PLA corruption, and recent reporting about China's nuclear ambitions. From there: Reactions to the foreign affairs work conference in late December, why Beijing sees opportunities around the world, and thoughts on Liu Jianchao's visit to the US and his future as a possible successor to Qin Gang. At the end: Xi reconnects with old friends in Iowa, balloon updates will continue forever, a listener provides more context on a December Fox News report, and a Christmas present offers a path forward for the National Zoo.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
CCDI Plenum; PLA corruption; MSS, MI6 and 007; Xizang; Apple AirDrop — Sinocism
New Minister of Defense and more signs of a PLA purge; Foreign Affairs Work Conference; Reprieve for gaming?; Jimmy Lai — Sinocism
Taiwan’s Air Raid Alarm on Satellite Causes Pre-Election Anxiety — Bloomberg
US Intelligence Shows Flawed China Missiles Led Xi to Purge Army — Bloomberg
Thread by Kevin Yam 任建峰 — X
China Quietly Rebuilds Secretive Base for Nuclear Tests — New York Times
How China’s Echo Chamber Threatens Taiwan — Foreign Affairs
China's Power: Up for Debate 2023 PM Session — CSIS YouTube Channel
China's foreign minister contender seeks peace, including on Taiwan — Nikkei Asia
To old friend in Iowa, Xi says world requires stability in China-US ties — Reuters
U.S. intelligence officials determined the Chinese spy balloon used a U.S. internet provider to communicate — NBC News
CCP-tied group is quietly fueling US-based climate initiatives: tax filings — Fox News
China calls for peaceful coexistence and promises pandas on the 45th anniversary of U.S.-China ties — Reuters
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill talk through questions and key areas to watch during the year to come in China. First: A look at the economy a year after the end of dynamic zero covid, including a Bloomberg report on real estate market and household wealth, MSS warnings about discourse traps, and a corruption crackdown that's likely to continue. Then: Foreign policy questions include ongoing tensions with the Philippines and Taiwan, an ODNI report on election interference in the US, and a tactical stabilization with the Americans that may be tested as early as January. At the end: Andrew runs through various memories from the past year, including 72 hours of unmanned airship sightings, a Barbie controversy, the God of Money menu, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, Gina Raimondo’s trip to Beijing, Gavin Newsom, and an emailer’s submission for a new Sharp China logo.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
China’s Weibo Asks Bloggers to Avoid Badmouthing the Economy — Bloomberg
China’s Real Estate Meltdown Is Battering Middle Class Wealth — Bloomberg
China curtails ‘dangerous’ fighter jet manoeuvres after Xi-Biden summit — Financial Times
CCP-tied group is quietly fueling US-based climate initiatives: tax filings — Fox News
ODNI and DHS/DOJ Release Reports on Foreign Interference in 2022 Elections — Lawfare
Blinken postpones trip to Beijing after Chinese spy balloon spotted over US — CNN
Why 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson over 1-seed Purdue is the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history — CBS Sports
James Harden Calls Daryl Morey A Liar — SPORTSNET YouTube
‘Barbie’ Map Controversy: Warner Bros. Explains the Drawing That Got the Film Banned in Vietnam (EXCLUSIVE) — Variety
Everything on Janet Yellen's "God of Money" restaurant menu in Beijing — QZ
China hits back after Biden calls Xi a 'dictator' — Reuters
Chinese Hackers Targeted Commerce Secretary and Other U.S. Officials — New York Times
Chinese memes make U.S. envoy unwitting brand ambassador for new Huawei phone — Washington Post
Chinese TV presenter linked to missing foreign minister had surrogate child in US — Financial Times
California Gov. Gavin Newsom plows into child while playing basketball in China — KTLA 5 YouTube
D.C.’s pandas leave for China, ending an era for animal lovers — Washington Post
What China Saw in Kissinger — Sinocism
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with thoughts on the readout from the Central Economic Work Conference, including the emphasis on "progress" alongside stability, high-quality development and high-level security, PRC attempts at brand management, and where infrastructure investment might be going. From there: More water cannons, more controversy, and the same concerns as problems persist between the Chinese Coast Guard and the Philippines in the South China Sea. At the end: Frustrations with the hawk-dove spectrum, Henry Kissinger's complicated legacy, and questions about flights to China, academic engagement, and good Chinese TV dramas.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Central Economic Work Conference; Xi in Vietnam; Short video crackdown — Sinocism
Central Economic Work Conference; Progress vs stability; PRC-Philippines standoffs; Fentanyl — Sinocism
CEWC 2024 readout — Translated by Sinocism
Rise in Chinese steel output drives sharp rally in iron ore — Financial Times
U.S. Support for the Philippines in the South China Sea — United States State Department
Philippine festive flotilla turns back after Chinese interception — The Guardian
China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
What It Feels Like To Be the Target of China’s Water Cannons — New York Times
China uses water cannons anew vs Filipino ships in West Philippine Sea — Rappler YouTube Channel
What Henry Kissinger wrought — Vox
Ambassador Xie Feng met with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
Chinese Dramas:
- The Knockout
- Minning Town
- In the Name of the People
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin by parsing the claims contained in a controversial piece from Politico, including thoughts on the spectrum of rumors surrounding this year’s disappearing cabinet members, the smaller-than-ever circle of true insiders in Xi’s China, and certain details of present-day CPC politics and that are beyond dispute. From there: Several stories in and around the finance sector, where there have been more warnings against relaying bad news, there is still no third plenum announcement, the Central Financial Work Commission has provided new guidance, and Moody’s is taking precautions for its local employees. At the end: Checking in with Secretary Gina Raimondo, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, the House of Representatives, and Huawei's role in the PRC chip constellation.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Finance with Chinese characteristics; Politico on recent elite rumors; Wang-Blinken chat; Nuclear power; Vaping; Moody's — Sinocism
Unswervingly Follow the Path of Financial Development with Chinese Characteristics — Translation by Sinocism
China’s Xi goes full Stalin with purge — Politico EU
China military official warns of ‘erroneous ideological trends’ spreading in PLA — South China Morning Post
Media groups raise concerns following report of ‘missing’ Hong Kong journalist in China — CNN
Matter of minutes: Why Cheng Lei did not see her family for three years — Sydney Morning Herald
China Investment Bank Bans Displays of Wealth — Bloomberg
China’s Xi Seen Delaying Key Economic Plenum, Defying Norms — Bloomberg
Xi Jinping Is Asserting Tighter Control of Finance in China — New York Times
Moody’s advised staff to work from home ahead of China outlook cut — Financial Times
Moody’s Faces Growing Backlash Over Its Negative Outlook on China — Wall Street Journal
RNDF 2023 Fireside Chat – The Honorable Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce — Reagan Foundation YouTube
China Secretly Transforms Huawei Into Most Powerful Chip War Weapon — Bloomberg
House Speaker Johnson Drops China Investment Curbs From Defense Bill — Bloomberg
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Politburo meeting; No date for Third Plenum; More Party in foreign affairs work; Support for private enterprises; Myanmar-PRC border; 蛋炒饭 — Sinocism
Xi in Shanghai; Politburo studies foreign legal work; Xi and Putin's gas; ICBC corruption — Sinocism
Singing from the CCP’s songsheet — Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Friendly foreign influencers win growing following in China — Financial Times
Sidney Rittenberg, Idealistic American Aide to Mao Who Evolved to Counsel Capitalists, Dies at 98 — New York Times
Zhao Lijian: China reassigns combative ‘Wolf Warrior’ diplomat — BBC
China Premier Li Qiang Named Head of Powerful Financial Body — Bloomberg
Gold Bars and Tokyo Apartments: How Money Is Flowing Out of China — New York Times
Everything You Need to Know About China’s Child Pneumonia Outbreak — Bloomberg
Famous Chef Accused of Mocking Mao, Again — China Digital Times
Chef Wang teaches you: Homestyle egg fried rice. Several key steps, let's learn together! — Chef Wang
Mao Zedong’s son died over a bowl of egg-fried rice and the CCP continues to cover it up — State of Play in China
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Woodside Summit and the San Francisco Vision; Fentanyl; Real Estate; Applied Materials and SMIC — Sinocism
Li Qiang heads CFC; Real Estate; Taiwan election; US-China; Prosecutors and Xi Thought on Culture — Sinocism
Watch: The moment Biden and Xi discuss presidential sedans — NBC News
In Talks With Biden, Xi Defends China’s Rise, While Seeking to Reassure — New York Times
Biden removes sanctions from Chinese institute in push for fentanyl help — Reuters
The global network behind the fentanyl crisis — Financial Times
Chinese propaganda frames Xi's US pivot — Reuters
U.S. Executives Get No Reassurance From Xi on Tougher China Business Environment — Wall Street Journal
Biden calls Xi a dictator after carefully planned summit — Reuters
Why did Joe Biden call Xi Jinping a dictator? — China in Context/SOAS China Institute
Taiwan’s Opposition in Disarray as Alliance Talks Stumble — Bloomberg
Taiwan's former US envoy, well-known in US, vilified by China, named VP candidate — Reuters
One of the Most Influential Ambassadors in Washington Isn’t One — New York Times
Take heart, it looks like China could send new pandas to the US — AP
The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995) Official Trailer — Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers YouTube Channel
California Governor Presents Xi with Golden State Warriors Jersey — CCTV Video News Agency YouTube Channel
Biden Panda Cold Open — Saturday Night Live YouTube Channel
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
After one year of Sharp Tech and Sharp China, a summit with Ben Thompson, Bill Bishop and Andrew Sharp to discuss podcasting, the chip ban, the US-China relationship and beyond.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
To read the full transcript, click here.
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Xi Jinping’s trip to San Francisco and a likely meeting with President Biden next week. Topics include: A planned dinner with business leaders, why the PRC hasn’t yet confirmed the trip, modest goals for both sides, more ambitious concessions China and the US may seek. From there: Janet Yellen’s column in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal offers one calculation for foreign capital flight, and why changes at the as yet unscheduled Third Plenum may not allay investor anxiety. At the end: The detention of Zhang Hongli, a.k.a. Lee Zhang, in what appears to be another corruption investigation, warming relations between the PRC and Australia, and the pandas in Washington D.C. prepare for a long flight.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
PRC-Australia back on the "right path"; He Lifeng to DC; Investor detentions and foreign funds outflows; Vanke; Hydropower — Sinocism
More state capital for key areas; Prepping for Xi in San Francisco; More real estate support likely; PLA; Huawei AI chips; BRI — Sinocism
US Defense Chief Lloyd Austin Asks to Meet With China’s Still-Unnamed Counterpart — Bloomberg
There’s a way for the U.S. to compete with China — and to work with China — Washington Post
Foreign Firms Pull Billions in Earnings Out of China — Wall Street Journal
Wang Xiangwei's Thought of the Day on China — Wang Xiangwei's Thought of the Day on China
China Opens Corruption Probe Into Ex-ICBC Banker Zhang Hongli — Bloomberg
Inside a Brazen Scheme to Woo China: Gifts, Golf and a $4,254 Wine — New York Times
Private schools rethink China future after flunking growth test — Reuters
Australian and Chinese leaders talk pandas and wine as ties improve despite disagreements — AP
Here’s How the Pandas Are Getting From the National Zoo to China — Washingtonian
The hidden power of China’s pandas — and why the U.S. is losing them all — Washington Post
Surprise panda goodbye — Axios
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Li Keqiang; Financial Work Conference; Xi on women; US-China; Xiangshan Forum — Sinocism
Xi meets California Governor Newsom; Biden warns on Second Thomas Shoal; Aricle 23 coming to Hong Kong; Xi Thought on Culture — Sinocism
Central Financial Work Conference; Biden and Xi to meet; Li Keqiang — Sinocism
‘Other leaders are corrupt’: Li Keqiang mourning poses challenge for Beijing — Financial Times
Post by Wenhao on X — @ThisIsWenhao
U.S.President Joe Biden Meets with Wang Yi — MoFA
Readout of President Joe Biden’s Meeting with People’s Republic of China Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi — The White House
If China is forced to resolve the Taiwan question through the use of force, it will be a legitimate and just war: Lieutenant General — Global Times
Beijing’s top spy agency cracks down on illegal foreign weather stations amid push to stop data leaving China — South China Morning Post
California Gov. Gavin Newsom plows into child while playing basketball in China — KTLA
China’s Xi Welcomes Gavin Newsom in Beijing With Eye on U.S. Visit — Wall Street Journal
Geopollutical Warfare — Doomberg
Post by Rahm Emanuel on X — @USAmbJapan
Post by Rahm Emanuel on X — @USAmbJapan
Exclusive: US military bulk buys Japanese seafood to counter China ban — Reuters
NBA 'first class' in China despite past conflicts, Yao Ming says — ESPN
Personal exchanges cited as key for bilateral ties — China Daily
Gala Dinner 2023 — National Committee on U.S.-China Relations
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest confrontation between the PRC and the Philippines in the South China Sea, clarity as to PRC maritime tactics that look increasingly like an undeclared blockade, and questions about when and how the US might get involved. From there: Qin Gang and Li Shangfu are formally removed from the State Council, the MSS discloses details of another citizen accused of spying for the US, and leaders of the Five Eyes go to Silicon Valley and 60 Minutes. At the end: Heightened scrutiny of Foxconn in advance of January’s presidential election in Taiwan, Tim Cook goes to China, Jon Stewart leaves Apple, and the New Yorker’s Evan Osnos examines the sentiments in China after Xi Jinping's first decade in power.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Li Shangfu and Qin Gang; 1T RMB in new debt; Xi visits PBoC and SAFE; Neighborhood diplomacy; AI chip controls — Sinocism
Second Thomas Shoal approaching a crisis?; Wang Yi to visit the US; Spy games intensify; Real estate, debt and stock market support; Malaise — Sinocism
U.S. Support for our Philippine Allies in the Face of Repeated PRC Harassment in the South China Sea — U.S. Department of State
Speak its name: Blockade — SeaLight
Counter-Coercion Series: Second Thomas Shoal Incident — Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
China stealing technology secrets -- from AI to computing and biology, "Five Eyes" intelligence leaders warn — CBS News
“Five Eyes” intelligence leaders warn of China’s global espionage campaign — 60 Minutes YouTube
Five-Eyes Spies Are Bringing Their China Warnings in From the Cold — Bloomberg Opinion
Killing C.I.A. Informants, China Crippled U.S. Spying Operations — New York Times
China launches investigation into iPhone maker Foxconn, says state media — Financial Times
How China Built ‘iPhone City’ With Billions in Perks for Apple’s Partner — New York Times
Jon Stewart’s Show on Apple Is Ending — New York Times
China's Age of Malaise — The New Yorker
CCTV show on the arrest of another alleged American spy — CCTV YouTube
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the long-awaited updates to the Biden Administration’s export controls on chips. Topics include: Bad news for Nvidia and good news for PRC semi companies, initial responses from PRC leadership, and follow-up thoughts on the strategic calculus of the U.S. From there: Impromptu TikTok discussion in light of the export controls underscoring the importance of strategic considerations. Then: Xi welcomes Vladimir Putin back to Beijing, the state of the Russia-China partnership, and why Xi and Putin may see opportunity as war erupts in the Middle East. At the end: Brief thoughts on the Belt and Road Initiative, and Bill shares an abridged version of the Sinocism origin story to celebrate the site's six-year anniversary as a paid newsletter.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Belt and Road Forum concludes; Xi meets Putin; Q3 GDP; Reactions to updated semiconductor controls — Sinocism
Belt and Road Forum; US updates semiconductor controls; Cheng Lei speaks; Relief for local governments; US-PLA close encounters -- Sinocism — Sinocism
Commerce Department moves to cut key supply lines to China’s AI industry — Washington Post
U.S. curbs export of more AI chips, including Nvidia H800, to China — CNBC
Commentary: Belt and Road cooperation to hasten demise of "neocolonialism" — People’s Daily Online
China Chips and Moore’s Law — Stratechery
College Students and Chips, The Future of Computing (and the Limits of Physics), Formula 1 and Apple — Sharp Tech
Will Xi Jinping’s Gamble on Vladimir Putin Pay Off? — Bloomberg
How the Israel-Hamas War Is Tilting the Global Power Balance in Favor of Russia, China — Wall Street Journal
Rush by west to back Israel erodes developing countries’ support for Ukraine — Financial Times
China Got a Big Contract. Nepal Got Debt and a Pricey Airport. — New York Times
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a meeting between Xi Jinping and a congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the latest indication that Xi and the PRC are working toward a trip to APEC in November and a likely meeting with President Biden. From there: Reports of updates to the semiconductor export controls in advance of a Xi visit, Senator Schumer asks Xi and Wang Yi for a swift condemnation of Hamas terror attacks, and whether PRC messaging in the Middle East will deviate from the playbook we saw Russia and Ukraine. Then: The introduction of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, an analyst's look at the evolution of semiconductor export controls, and why Nvidia reportedly sought to have the aforementioned analyst "sidelined" as policymakers continue to calibrate new restrictions for U.S. exports. At the end: Tim Cook's takes on manufacturing expertise in China, a competing theory as to how that expertise was honed, and Kyrie Irving becomes a global ambassador for ANTA apparel.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
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BRI white paper; More stimulus talk; Country Garden; Improving legal environment for private business; Huawei — Sinocism
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture 习近平文化思想; Xi meets Schumer; Semiconductor controls; Disappointing holiday data; Xizang — Sinocism
China, US need not go head to head, President Xi Jinping tells senators, in strongest sign he may head to Apec summit — SCMP
Thucydides Trap — Wikipedia
U.S., China Both Try to Gain Upper Hand Ahead of Biden-Xi Summit — Wall Street Journal
US senators seek Xi’s help to pressure Iran on Middle East conflict — Financial Times
Xi Focus: Xi Jinping Thought on Culture highlighted at key meeting — Xinhua
In Chip Race, China Gives Huawei the Steering Wheel: Huawei’s New Smartphone and the Future of Semiconductor Export Controls — Center for Strategic & International Studies
An Interview with Gregory C. Allen About China’s Chip Ban Response — Stratechery Interview
How the Big Chip Makers Are Pushing Back on Biden’s China Agenda — New York Times
Apple’s Latest China Challenge: A Crackdown That Could Shrink Its App Store — Wall Street Journal
Post by S.L. Kanthan — @Kanthan2030
Post by Jonathan P. Sine — @JonathonPSine
How Apple tied its fortunes to China — Financial Times
Kyrie Irving Is Now an Exec at Chinese Firm Tied to Human Rights Abuses — Rolling Stone
Post by Kyrie Irving — @KyrieIrving
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions; MSS head on national security in digital era; Qin Gang and Fu Xiaotian; US-China — Sinocism
Xi in Zhejiang; Asian Games; Xi meets Assad; Huawei; US-China on road back to Bali — Sinocism
Chinese TV presenter linked to missing foreign minister had surrogate child in US — Financial Times
Blasting Bullhorns and Water Cannons, Chinese Ships Wall Off the Sea — New York Times
The South China Sea Tribunal — Law of the Sea
Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative — AMTI
Philippines vows not to back down as China warns against 'trouble' at disputed shoal — Reuters
Philippines and US accuse China of illegally targeting supply ships — Financial Times
U.S. Support for the Philippines in the South China Sea — US State Department
White House told U.S. ambassador to Japan to stop taunting China on social media — NBC News
Senior Nomura banker barred from leaving mainland China — Financial Times
Rahm Emanuel — @USAmbJapan
How China’s Language Shifted After Landmark Xi-Biden Meeting — Bloomberg
Panda Palooza: A Giant Farewell — Smithsonian
The Panda Party’s Almost Over — Foreign Policy
Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji celebrating 3rd birthday at National Zoo — YouTube
The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995) Official Trailer — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Qin Gang; Grim reports from chambers of commerce; Wang Yi in Russia; Huawei phone; Zhang Youxia — Sinocism
US-China meetings; Spy balloon that was not spying?; Wang Yi to Russia; PRC diplomacy; PLA rumors — Sinocism
China’s Former Foreign Minister Ousted After Alleged Affair, Senior Officials Told — Wall Street Journal
Post by US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel — @USAmbJapan
Chinese defence minister under investigation by Beijing, US believes — Financial Times
AmCham Shanghai Releases Report on Business Climate in China — AmCham Shanghai
China’s Worst Capital Outflow in Years Spells More Yuan Pressure — Bloomberg
Europe’s Wind Industry Calls for Support Amid Mounting Struggles, China Competition — Wall Street Journal
EV makers’ use of Chinese suppliers raises concerns about forced labor — Washington Post
The bizarre secret behind China's spy balloon — CBS News
In Risky Hunt for Secrets, U.S. and China Expand Global Spy Operations — New York Times
Thread on US Export Controls and the Mate 60 Pro — Sinocism Chat
No Evidence That China Can Make Advanced Chips ‘at Scale,’ US Says — Bloomberg
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Deliveries Slip to November in Sign of Demand — Bloomberg
Xiaotian Fu Garden — Churchill College Cambridge
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with Xi Jinping's visit to Heilongjiang during the G-20 Summit, President Biden's comments on containment and the likelihood of a Taiwan invasion, and why news that Wang Yi will skip the UN General Assembly next week does not necessarily tell us anything about Xi's plans for APEC in November. From there: Rahm Emanuel highlights a disinformation campaign centered on the Maui Wildfires and the disappearance of Defense Minister Li Shangfu, rumors continue to swirl about investigations of party leadership and members of the PLA, and there are reasons to be skeptical of a report that Xi was reprimanded by party elders at Beidaihe. At the end: Espionage arrests in the UK and an interference inquiry in Canada, Apple tries to avoid getting caught in the middle of the US-China rivalry, big decisions loom at the BIS, and a word about pronunciation.
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Li Qiang to G-20; MSS on US-China relations; Huawei's 5G phone; Italy and the BRI — Sinocism
Xi’s Unexplained G-20 Snub Erodes Image as Global Statesman — Bloomberg
China’s spy agency blasts US for ‘engagement and containment’ approach — Financial Times
China to Its People: Spies Are Everywhere, Help Us Catch Them — New York Times
New phone sparks worry China has found a way around U.S. tech limits — Washington Post
Huawei Teardown Reveals China Chip Breakthrough — Bloomberg
Huawei Watchers and the Land of Magical Thinking — Digits to Dollars
Far Ahead Mobile Phone Case, Huawei Mate 60 Pro — Tao Bao
Rahm Emanuel Takes Aim at China’s Leadership — Wall Street Journal
Apple Hopes Chinese Suppliers Can Solve Vision Pro’s Display Challenges — The Information
Chinese Gate-Crashers at U.S. Bases Spark Espionage Concerns — Wall Street Journal
China’s Mortgage Relaxation Spurs Weekend Sales in Mega Cities — Bloomberg
The Big Short Trailer (2015) — YouTube
My Chinese Media Recipe — Following the yuan
China Cuts Caixin From Approved Media, Curbing Influence — Bloomberg
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the release of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power facility and the response from PRC authorities, media and consumers. With a ban of an imports of all aquatic products from Japan and additional boycotts proliferating, what measures might be next? And with the IAEA and many governments largely in agreement that Japan’s plan is safe enough, what does this conflict say about Chinese leadership? From there: Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo meets with Party leaders in Beijing, reactions to the early returns from those discussions, and the well-timed launch of a new Huawei phone as the Commerce delegation makes its way through the PRC. At the end: A victory lap for TikTok, memories of high-speed rail, and a few minutes on the most recent measures to stimulate the economy.
On today's show Bill and Andrew begin with an unexplained absence for Xi Jinping in Johannesburg before turning to the multi-faceted problems facing Beijing policymakers as the PRC economy continues to sputter. Topics include: Why a giant stimulus package remains unlikely, whether Xi is the right leader to manage a restructuring of the world's second-largest economy, the "takeover or collapse" false binary, and what to make of the disappearing youth unemployment data. From there: The Ministry of State Security proudly identifies two PRC nationals who were allegedly working with the CIA, while the Biden Administration successfully executes a Camp David summit with the South Korea and Japan. At the end: Beijing scuttles Intel's Tower Semiconductor plans, ARM has myriad risks in China, the Wall Street Journal goes deep on the Village Basketball League, and James Harden's wine helps stimulate consumer spending.
Andrew and Bill begin with the heaviest rainfall in at least 140 years in Beijing this week. Topics include: Best wishes to all those affected by the floods, the astounding scale of these storms and resulting damage, citizens angry after local officials allegedly divert floods to protect Xiong'an, and the CPC playbook that will likely restrict information and hide the full extent of the tragedy. From there: Changes atop the PLA Rocket Force raise questions about espionage, the PLA nuclear program, and a years-long anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping that may not be over. From there: Follow-up to last week's Intel discussion, officials concerned about Chinese malware in America's military and civilian infrastructure, and a question about the American media and strategic alternatives to dialogue. At the end: The potential security pact between South Korea and Japan, the history and contemporary reality of the Beidaihe Meetings, and a reminder that the podcast will be off until the week of August 21st.
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a hastily called National People's Congress Standing Committee meeting, Wang Yi's return to his former role as Foreign Minister, and the removal of Qin Gang. Topics include: The messy procedure that led to this week's removal, possible explanations for Qin retaining his role as state councilor, and a possible timeline for an investigation and further announcements regarding Qin's future. Then: What Qin’s removal might mean within the Foreign Ministry, and the signals this situation is sending to the rest of the world. From there: The Politburo's meeting on the economy, explaining the psychology of the current real estate market, and another edict that may put PRC companies in conflict with Western business practices. At the end: More details on what America's semiconductor companies are telling the White House, pronouncing the word "Reuters," and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson announces that he'll be playing for China in this summer's FIBA World Cup.
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the mystery surrounding foreign minister Qin Gang, who has not been seen in public since June 25th. As the foreign ministry stays silent, what might explain his retreat from public view, and how does this situation reflect on Xi Jinping and the party? Then: Henry Kissinger makes a surprise visit to Beijing, meets first with Defense Minister Li Shangfu, while John Kerry meets with Li Qiang and Wang Yi to talk common ground on climate issues. Will either of them get an audience with Xi? From there: U.S. chip firms lobby the executive branch, Chinese hackers access the emails of Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and the optics get trickier for Biden's China policy. At the end: Weak economic data for Q2 and a window into who's actually driving the changes to China's relationships with the West.
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen's trip to China, including thoughts on what might be the next evolution in the decoupling discourse, various social media controversies that were unrelated to the substance of her meetings, and the optics of cabinet officials traveling to Beijing without many of their Chinese counterparts reciprocating. Then: New PRC regulations for the export of gallium and germanium, and why last week's announcement may do more damage to the PRC than its rivals. From there: The DOJ indicts Gal Luft, Executive Director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, while PRC Foreign Minister Qin Gang is reportedly ill and has not appeared publicly in more than two weeks. At the end: A listener seeks clarification on the domestic challenges facing China and the CPC, the State Department issues a new travel alert for mainland China, and Vietnamese authorities throw Barbie into the middle of a fight in the South China Sea.
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with recent comments from President Biden that provided a surprise postscript to last week’s episode about renewed US-China engagement. Then: What the PRC might be thinking after a weekend of uncertainty in Russia, and using Putin’s struggles as an object lesson in why Xi has been so aggressive in his efforts to reform the PLA over the past 11 years. From there: Extended discussion of Huawei’s origins, recent reporting on its presence in Cuba, and the questions the company inspires around the world. At the end: The DOJ highlights the role of Chinese chemical companies in the fentanyl crisis, diplomatic efforts to enhance precursor enforcement have thus far been fruitless, the rise of the term “Indo-Pacific,” TikTok’s resilience, and raising French basketball awareness.
On today's show Andrew and Bill talk through Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's trip to Beijing. First: The voices that convinced Biden to push for an improved relationship, what “back to Bali” actually entails, and reactions to the meetings between Blinken and PRC counterparts Qin Gang and Wang Yi. From there: The Biden Administration wants to close the book on the spy balloon, Xi's public comments concerning US competition vs. what the PRC likely believes internally, Xi's meeting with Blinken, and a sea of takes on seating arrangements, lotus flowers, runway red carpets, and Taiwan independence. At the end: A new report on the PLA's ambitions in Cuba, waiting for a fentanyl working group and more flights between the US and China, and two pieces of media recommended for all listeners.
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest on Secretary Blinken's visit to Beijing before turning to a recap of several reports on PRC surveillance activities in Cuba and the evolving responses they've elicited from the Biden Administration. From there: What Xi might be signaling with his calls to prepare for “extreme” circumstances and scenarios, more rumors of a stimulus package, and an uptick in administrative fines amid the local debt crisis. At the end: The US says South Korean chip firms can maintain and continue their existing chip fab operations in the PRC, a word about the Global Times, and a few thoughts on the transformation of Beijing in the last 10 years.
On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reports that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken may visit China sometime "in the coming weeks." Topics include: The State Department's preliminary trip this past weekend, benefits of continued communication, risks of communication as a reward in itself, and why it's important that Blinken visit before others in the cabinet. Then: The Shangri-La Dialogue and the PRC's controversial tactics in the South China Sea, and reactions to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan articulating the One China Policy and why the U.S. remains committed to it. From there: Desertification and China's attempts to curb it, a question about economic stimulus, and a listener's follow-up to last week's Microsoft conversation. At the end: Traveling to China, CCP membership, and a new drilling project that caught the world's attention.
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the rejected pitch from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to meet with Defense Minister Li Shangfu this weekend. Topics include: The importance (and limits) of maintaining ongoing military backchannels, why the U.S. push for a meeting was more complicated in this case, and a postscript to last week's questions about America’s response to the silent treatment from PRC diplomats. Then: A report that the Chinese envoy sent to broker peace has urged EU countries to denounce America and demand a ceasefire in Ukraine, and ominous language surfaces in the readout from the National Security Commission. At the end: Elon Musk’s travels inspire a look at Tesla's activity in the PRC, the 16-year journey to a C919 passenger jet and celebrations on a Beijing runway, Microsoft's malware discovery, and a word about energy supply lines in a Taiwan conflict.
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
G-7 on China; PRC response; Biden says a thaw coming in US-China relations; Micron ban; Covid second wave — Sinocism
G7 issues strongest condemnation of China as it intensifies response to Beijing — Financial Times
Flaring tensions over G7 and Micron show limits to US-China reset — Financial Times
Biden Sees Coming ‘Thaw’ With China, Even as He Rallies Allies Against Beijing — New York Times
Why the US delayed China sanctions after shooting down a spy balloon — Reuters
China’s $23 Trillion Local Debt Mess Is About to Get Worse — Bloomberg
Cover Story: China’s Effort to Move Mountain of ‘Hidden Debt’ Faces Uphill Climb — Caixin Global
Chinese comedian arrested after joke about army — BBC
Nigel Ng — Twitter
ESPN Has Reportedly Pulled Notable Sports Documentary — The Spun
K Tse — Twitter
Iconic Moments: Chang vs Lendl - Roland Garros 4th Round, 1989 — YouTube
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Sinocism Podcast: Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights on the rise of the China vehicle industry — Sinocism
CCFEA on industrial system on population; Canada expels a diplomat; Details of the Capvision investigation; Qin Gang meets US Ambassador — Sinocism
Chinese FM meets U.S. ambassador — Xinhua
Biden Administration Tamps Down Talk of US-China Decoupling — Bloomberg
US, China spar in first face-to-face meeting under Biden — Associated Press
China Signals Spying Fears Amid Probe of Consulting Firms — Wall Street Journal
U.S. Think Tank Reports Prompted Beijing to Put a Lid on Chinese Data — Wall Street Journal
Why leaked spy docs have sent China and Canada’s fraught relationship to a new low — NBC News
Two high-level memos allege Beijing covertly funded Canadian election candidates — Global News
China Focus: China pursues high-quality population development to support modernization — Xinhua
America’s Bad Bet on India — Foreign Affairs
The Chip Ban Seven Months Later, China's Response, More on Intel and Tower Semiconductor — Sharp Tech
An Interview with Chip War Author Chris Miller — Stratechery Interviews
Entrapment (1999) — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Sinocism Podcast: Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights on the rise of the China vehicle industry — Sinocism
CCFEA on industrial system on population; Canada expels a diplomat; Details of the Capvision investigation; Qin Gang meets US Ambassador — Sinocism
Chinese FM meets U.S. ambassador — Xinhua
Biden Administration Tamps Down Talk of US-China Decoupling — Bloomberg
US, China spar in first face-to-face meeting under Biden — Associated Press
China Signals Spying Fears Amid Probe of Consulting Firms — Wall Street Journal
U.S. Think Tank Reports Prompted Beijing to Put a Lid on Chinese Data — Wall Street Journal
Why leaked spy docs have sent China and Canada’s fraught relationship to a new low — NBC News
Two high-level memos allege Beijing covertly funded Canadian election candidates — Global News
China Focus: China pursues high-quality population development to support modernization — Xinhua
America’s Bad Bet on India — Foreign Affairs
The Chip Ban Seven Months Later, China's Response, More on Intel and Tower Semiconductor — Sharp Tech
An Interview with Chip War Author Chris Miller — Stratechery Interviews
Entrapment (1999) — YouTube
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
China Locks Information on the Country Inside a Black Box — Wall Street Journal
China’s ‘men in black’ step up scrutiny of foreign corporate sleuths — Financial Times
U.S. Chamber Statement on Concerns Over PRC Investment Climate — U.S. Chamber of Commerce
China's exit bans multiply as political control tightens under Xi — Reuters
New Report: Trapped - China’s Expanding Use of Exit Bans — Safeguard Defenders
Xi calls Zelensky — Sinocism
Xi-Zelensky call; Bain's Shanghai troubles; Counter-espionage law; Li Ganjie heads Organization Department; Employment measures — Sinocism
Speak Plainly, Mr. Chairman — China Media Project
America’s Bad Bet on India — Foreign Affairs
Sinocism Podcast: Tania Branigan on her book Red Memory: The Afterlives of China's Cultural Revolution — Sinocism
An excerpt from Tania Branigan's Red Memory: The Afterlives of China's Cultural Revolution — Sinocism
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Lu Shaye creates a mess in the EU; Covid; PLAN turns 74; Guizhou debt; Dong Yuyu — Sinocism
Macron and VDL brief Biden on their PRC trips; Yellen's China speech; “农管“, agricultural administrative law enforcers; BYD — Sinocism
Baltics blast China diplomat for questioning sovereignty of ex-Soviet states — Politico
China doesn’t want peace in Ukraine, Czech president warns — Politico
The Man Behind China's Aggressive New Voice — New York Times
Prominent Chinese journalist faces espionage charges — Washington Post
China Accuses Newspaper Editor of Espionage After Meeting With Diplomat — Wall Street Journal
Janet Yellen offers an olive branch to China — Financial Times
Biden tells 60 Minutes U.S. troops would defend Taiwan, but White House says this is not official U.S. policy — CBS News
One of the Most Influential Ambassadors in Washington Isn’t One — New York Times
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Lula and Xi; National security cases; US indictments of PRC police officers; Yi Gang on the RMB; Spy balloon disclosures — Sinocism
Lula vows partnership with China to ‘balance world geopolitics’ — Finanical Times
Why China’s Leader Hasn’t Called the President of Ukraine — New York Times
Europe must resist pressure to become ‘America’s followers,’ says Macron — Politico
China starts ‘surgical’ retaliation against foreign companies after US-led tech blockade — Financial Times
U.S. Arrests Two, Charges Dozens for Alleged Illegal U.S. Activities by Chinese Security Agents — Wall Street Journal
China stalls Antony Blinken’s Beijing visit over ‘spy balloon’ concerns — Financial Times
Leaked secret documents detail up to four additional Chinese spy balloons — Washington Post
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Taiwan's president warns 'democracy is under threat' in joint remarks with McCarthy — CNN
European leaders in Beijing; Tsai in California; Xinhua attacks US financial hegemony; Saudi-Iran Beijing meeting — Sinocism
China to inspect ships in Taiwan Strait, Taiwan says won't cooperate — Reuters
PLA exercises around Taiwan; Macron and the PRC; Did Tedros "slander China"?; AI Bubble — Sinocism
China military ‘ready to fight’ after drills near Taiwan — Associated Press
Xi inspects Guangdong; Lula to China; Draft AI rules; Macron; Sandstorms; Substack Notes open to all — Sinocism
2024 election a choice between 'democracy and autocracy': DPP nominee Lai — Focus Taiwan
China slaps security reviews on AI products as Alibaba unveils ChatGPT challenger — Financial Times
Buffett says geopolitics a factor in Berkshire sale of TSMC stake — Reuters
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Xi-Putin; Ukraine; Reshaping the world order; Cloud loophole for US chip controls; Lula to China — Sinocism
TikTok toast?; PRC-Russia; China Development Forum; National security rectification; Taiwan; Knowledge decoupling — Sinocism
Xi Jinping-Vladimir Putin talks highlight Russia’s role as ‘junior partner’ to China — Financial Times
China Is Starting to Act Like a Global Power — Wall Street Journal
The world according to Xi — The Economist
How TikTok Failed to Make the Case for Itself — Platformer
US Regulator Warns About Data Security During TikTok Hearing — Bloomberg
How TikTok Became a Diplomatic Crisis — New York Times
Tech Shame in the "New Era" — China Media Project
Chinese recommendations in the DMV? — Sinocism Chat
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
A country in flux: Recent and future policy shifts in Chin — Brookings Institute
Premier Li’s first State Council Executive Meeting; National Data Bureau; AUKUS — Sinocism
Two meetings; Xi to Russia; Update on PRC visas; AUKU — Sinocism
Saudi Arabia, Iran Restore Relations in Deal Brokered by China — Wall Street Journal
Exclusive: China's Xi plans Russia visit as soon as next week - sources — Reuters
China’s Xi Plans to Speak With Zelensky for First Time Since Ukraine War Broke Out — Wall Street Journal
Germany and the Netherlands signal weakening of Europe’s China tech ties — Fortune
China looms large as Biden makes submarine moves with UK, Australia — CNN
A Squabble About History Almost Killed Xi Jinping’s Father — Foreign Policy
What Xi Jinping Learned—And Didn’t Learn—From His Father About Xinjiang — The Diplomat
Simple, but not easy: After rejecting basketball for years, Zach Edey's Zen-like approach made him unstoppable — CBS Sports
Let sleeping dogs lie — Tashi the Golden Doodle's Substack
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
Bill will be on a virtual Brookings panel Friday morning to discuss “the recent policy shifts within China, their underlying causes, and potential implications for the future”. You can sign up here to attend. Ryan Hass is the moderator and the other panelists are John Culver, Cheng Li and Emily Feng.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Two meetings; Around 5% GDP growth; Xi's vision; Xi on the private sector — Sinocism
Government restructuring; Qin Gang's press conference and a warning to the US; Support for private sector; TikTok — Sinocism
China warns of potential conflict with US over containment strategy — Financial Times
Washington has succumbed to dangerous groupthink on China — Washington Post
China to Create New Top Regulator for Data Governance — Wall Street Journal
At China political meeting, internet bosses are out, chip execs are in — Reuters
Did China mess with Canada? Trudeau says he has a plan to find out. — Politico
Magic Weapons: China's political influence activities under Xi Jinping — Wilson Center
China’s Overseas United Front Work: Background and Implications for the United States — U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Speaker Kevin McCarthy to meet Taiwan’s president in US to avoid China’s ire — Financial Times
Taiwan's President Tiptoes Around Politics at Cornell — New York Times
Averting Escalation and Avoiding War: Lessons from the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis — National Defense University Press
What China can teach Latin America about Good and Bad Graft — Bloomberg
China's Gilded Age: The Paradox of Economic Boom and Vast Corruption — Yuen Yuen Ang
The Fugee, the Fugitive and the FBI — Bloomberg
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
PRC-Ukraine; Xi and propaganda into the Two Meetings; Legal education guideline; Li Keqiang farewell tour — Sinocism
PRC-Russia-Ukraine; US-PRC; Financial sector personnel and corruption — Sinocism
China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis — MoFA
President Xi Jinping Had a Virtual Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin — MoFA
As China Calls for Peace, U.S. Believes Beijing Is Considering Artillery and Drone Deliveries to Moscow — Wall Street Journal
Putin ally Lukashenko meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing — CNN
China releases key guideline on legal education, stresses firm stand to oppose Western erroneous views — Global Times
Xi’s Law-and-Order Strategy — Foreign Affairs
Lab Leak Most Likely Origin of Covid-19 Pandemic, Energy Department Now Says — Wall Street Journal
The State of Dynamic Zero-COVID and Reactions to That ProPublica Report — Sharp China
Australia rides out Chinese sanctions as exports boom — Financial Times
House committee on China starts two-year drive to ‘decouple’ — Washington Post
Missing Banker Bao Fan Is Cooperating in China Probe, His Firm Says — Bloomberg
With Streaks of Gray Hair, Xi Jinping of China Breaks With Tradition — New York Times
The Knockout EP01: Gao Qiqiang is Sent to the Police for Fighting | 狂飙 | iQIYI — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
US-China meeting; Wang Yi in Europe; US warnings about aid to Russia; US hegemony; Bao Fan — Sinocism
2nd Plenum dates set, will deepen reform of Party and state institutions; Wang Yi in Russia; Global Security Initiative — Sinocism
China Misreads the Room in Munich — GMF
Wang Yi Meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari — MoFA
US warns China not to send weapons to Russia for Ukraine war — AP
U.S. Warnings to China on Arms Aid for Russia’s War Portend Global Rift — New York Times
China’s top tech dealmaker Bao Fan goes missing — Financial Times
Beyond the ballon: the US-China spy game — Financial Times
Hedge Fund Billionaire Extracts Billions More to Retire — New York Times
Covid Cap Forces United Airlines to Delay Extra China-US Services For Six Months — Bloomberg
At Mandarin open mic stand-up shows in U.S., 'warmth' overcomes hate — Nikkei Asia
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Xi meets Iran President; Football corruption; Document #1; Anti-US propaganda — Sinocism
Document #1; Balloon mess expands; Blinken and Wang Yi may meet; Iran President to visit — Sinocism
U.S. tracked China spy balloon from launch on Hainan Island along unusual path — Washington Post
US should give responsible explanation on Nord Stream blasts: Chinese FM — Global Times
Chinese State Media Persuades a Global Audience That the “China Model” is Superior: Evidence From A 19-Country Experiment — OSF Preprints
The Oxford History of Modern China (Oxford Histories) — Amazon
Wealth and Power: China's Long March to the Twenty-first Century — Amazon
Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age — Amazon
The World Turned Upside Down: A History of the Chinese Cultural Revolution — Amazon
Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden: Two Sisters Separated by China's Civil War — Amazon
Xinjiang governor cancels EU visit amid Uyghur abuse blowback — Politico
Surveillance State: Inside China's Quest to Launch a New Era of Social Control — Amazon
ChatGPT frenzy sweeps China as firms scramble for homegrown options — CNBC
ChatGPT Lookalikes Proliferate in China — Bloomberg
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Balloon blowup; PRC-Russia; Hong Kong trial; Real estate — Sinocism
Xi and Biden articulate views on systems competition; Balloon mess; AI bubble — Sinocism
Xi schools new central committee members and officials on modernization; Two establishes; Balloon fallout; Tibet rail plans — Sinosicm
Chinese balloon part of vast aerial surveillance program, U.S. says — Washington Post
Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA's Covert War in China — John Delury
Downed Chinese balloon was 200 feet tall, U.S. military says — NBC News
GOP preps anti-China economic salvo — Politico
China’s military keeps rivals on edge with balloon strategy — Financial Times
China Has More ICBM Launchers Than U.S., American Military Reports — Wall Street Journal
Chinese spy balloon furore puts focus on Xi Jinping’s leadership — Financial Times
House votes to make it easier to report UFOs — Politico
A Chinese Telescope Did Not Find an Alien Signal. The Search Continues. — New York Times
The X files intro and opening theme — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
High-Flying Balloon Seen as Part of Broader Chinese Spy Program — Bloomberg
@TheInsiderPaper — Twitter
Secretary Blinken’s Call with People’s Republic of China (PRC) CCP Central Foreign Affairs Office Director Wang Yi — United States State Department
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Outbreak officially peaked; Blinken's PRC visit; War talk; Tech controls; Hu Xinyu — Sinocism
Xi to visit Russia this year?; More on possible Huawei measures; State capitalism; 狂飙 “The Knockout” — Sinocism
How arming Ukraine is stretching the US defence industry — Financial Times
US, China spar in first face-to-face meeting under Biden — AP
How it happened: Transcript of the US-China opening remarks in Alaska — Nikkei Asia
China Urges Common Ground Ahead of Visit by Top US Diplomat — Bloomberg
Air Force general predicts war with China in 2025, tells officers to prep by firing 'a clip' at a target, and 'aim for the head' — NBC News
Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia to be main event in bilateral agenda for 2023 — Tass
China Dismisses US Claims of Support for Russia as ‘Paranoia’ — Bloomberg
Why Are Fewer American Students Going to China? — Asia Society
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson sparks ridicule online with Taiwan restaurant tweet — Hong Kong Free Press
China Publishes, Then Deletes Report of Potential Alien Signals — Gizmodo
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Newsletter Recommendations:
- Discourse Power
- Sinification
- Following the Yuan
- Wang Xiangwei's Thought of the Day on China
- Bert's Newsletter
- Concrete Avalanche
Further Reading:
China's Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know — Arthur R. Kroeber
The China Expert and The Ten Commandments — China Heritage
Watching & Warning — China Heritage
China’s Global Mega-Projects Are Falling Apart — Wall Street Journal
China’s Mad Dash Into a Strategic Island Nation Breeds Resentment — New York Times
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calls out the Chinese Communist Party for buying giant chunks of farmland and property in his state, saying it's a 'huge problem' — Daily Mail
Bill to ban Chinese citizens and government from buying Texas land gains steam among Republicans — ABC Dallas
Don’t Ban Chinese Investment in US Farmland — Bloomberg
Pentagon Prepares for a Kevin McCarthy Taiwan Visit — Punchbowl News
One of the Most Influential Ambassadors in Washington Isn’t One — New York Times
The Taiwan Long Game: Why the Best Solution Is No Solution — Foreign Affairs
Qin Gang addresses the Wizards crowd — Twitter: @SpokespersonCHN
Subscribe to Stratechery Plus to get full episodes of Sharp China, plus Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Sharp Tech, Greatest of All Talk, and Dithering.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
China's 2022 economic growth one of the worst on record, post-pandemic policy faces test — Reuters
From Disciplinarian to Cheerleader: Why China Is Changing Its Tone on Business — New York Times
Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built — Duncan Clark
Biden and Kishida Vow to Bolster U.S.-Japan Alliance as China’s Power Grows — New York TImes
Japan’s Shift to War Footing — War on the Rocks
More Protests in China Over Japan and Islands — New York Times
US-China Defense Talks Stalled Two Months After Biden-Xi Meeting — Bloomberg
China's first population drop in six decades sounds alarm on demographic crisis — Reuters
With F.B.I. Search, U.S. Escalates Global Fight Over Chinese Police Outposts — New York Times
Patrol and Persuade - A follow up on 110 Overseas investigation — Safeguard Defenders
China welcomes back Disney Marvel movies with ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Ant-Man’ sequels — Los Angeles Times
《蟻人與黃蜂女:量子狂熱》電影預告 Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania - Official Trailer — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Cases peaking?; Retaliation against travel measures; CCDI Plenum; Alibaba and Ant are out of the storm; US-China — Sinocism
Reopening to the world; CCDI Plenum; Tech rectification over? Zhao Lijian — Sinocism
China clashes with its neighbors after reopening to the world as Covid surges — NBC News
China retaliates against travel restrictions by suspending short-term visas for Japanese and South Koreans — SMCP
Merck, Pfizer Rebuff China’s Push for Deeper Price Cuts on Covid Drugs — Bloomberg
China Likely to Name U.S. Specialist as Next Ambassador to Washington — Wall Street Journal
The Man Behind China's Aggressive New Voice — New York Times
China’s ‘wolf warrior’ foreign affairs spokesperson moved to new role — The Guardian
Is ‘Made in China 2025’ a Threat to Global Trade? — Council on Foreign Relations
Letter From Apple Supplier Foxconn’s Founder Prodded China to Ease Zero-Covid Rules — Wall Street Journal
Foxconn Founder Terry Gou Wants to be Taiwan’s President—and a Go-Between for U.S. and China — Time
China Warns U.S. It May Detain Americans in Response to Prosecutions of Chinese Scholars — Wall Street Journal
Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Reopening; Transparency; Stimulating real estate demand; US-China — Sinocism
Covid reopening and growing concerns about lack of transparency; Marcos meets Xi; Propaganda work — Sinocism
Reopening; Testing PRC travelers; Wang Qishan in Brazil; More weak economic data; 辱华 — Sinocism
China Condemns Its People to Relive the Nightmare of 2020 — Bloomberg
China threatens ‘countermeasures’ over other countries’ Covid travel restrictions — The Guardian
Battered by Covid, China Hits Pause on Giant Chip Spending Aimed at Rivaling US — Bloomberg
China can see a ‘light of hope’ in Covid battle, says Xi Jinping in New Year’s message — SCMP
Xi Jinping’s credibility ‘badly wounded’ as China’s Covid death toll mounts — Financial Times
Update: 2023 Chinese Grand Prix return inches closer — RacingNews365
New Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang: What I learned in America — Washington Post
Why China’s new foreign minister could be a problem for Biden — Politico
Qin Gang 秦刚 on Twitter — @AmbQinGang
EXCLUSIVE: TikTok Spied On Forbes Journalists — Forbes
Biden signs TikTok ban for government devices, setting up a chaotic 2023 for the app — NBC News
Leaked Audio From 80 Internal TikTok Meetings Shows That US User Data Has Been Repeatedly Accessed From China — Buzzfeed News
China's Bayi Rockets vs NBA champions Washington Bullets in 1979 — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Cases rising; CEWC postponed?; Kabul hotel attack; Chips — Sinocism
Cases surging; WTO; US-China meeting; People's Leader; Jimmy Lai — Sinocism
Twitter’s new China head makes spectacularly awkward debut — Washington Post
How China became big business for Twitter — Reuters
Ex-Twitter employee found guilty of spying on Saudi dissidents — The Guardian
Japan to Join US Effort to Tighten Chip Exports to China — Bloomberg
China sues US in WTO over chip export control measures — Global Times
Biden Cements Trump-Era Steel, Aluminum Tariffs in WTO Snub — Bloomberg
Alibaba: This Will Not End Well — Seeking Alpha
Jack Ma quits as head of leading China business group — Financial Times
Crosstalk: A window into the world of Chinese humor — YouTube
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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
Reopening; Shifting the Covid messaging; Jiang Zemin; CEWC; Saudi Arabia — Sinocism
Reopening; Jiang Zemin; Xi to Saudi Arabia; TikTok — Sinocism
Rocky road to re-opening; Downplaying Omicron; Jiang Zemin, Xi meets Michel; Zhao Lijian — Sinocism
60 Minutes Archives: An interview with China's Jiang Zemin — YouTube
Xi Awards Friendship Medal to Vietnam's Communist Party Chief — YouTube
Beijing Mixes Messages Over Anti-Japan Protests — New York Times
In Japan, Winnie the Pooh joins China's lockdown protests — NPR
Engineers of the Soul: what Australia needs to know about ideology in Xi Jinping's China — Sinocism
China’s high youth unemployment stokes student Covid protests — Financial Times
Tesla cuts output plan for Shanghai plant for Dec -sources — Reuters
Censorship, Surveillance and Profits: A Hard Bargain for Apple in China — New York Times
The Man Behind China’s Aggressive New Voice — New York Times
Wang Sir's News Talk | Zhao Lijian and his Sweetheart: The Paradoxical Life — YouTube
A review of last weekend's protests and the various questions they raise for Xi and the CCP, a look at the methods used to defuse protests on campuses and in cities, a path to reopening that remains rocky but looks increasingly unavoidable, plus thoughts on the World Cup, Twitter, and an Occam's razor explanation for Xi’s Covid policies.
Reactions and analysis the meeting between US and Chinese delegations before the G-20, the political and structural challenges that may complicate efforts to rebuild the US-China relationship, varied interests underlying the PRC's recent statements about the invasion of Ukraine, Justin Trudeau's tense exchange with Xi, and controversial thoughts on moon cakes.
Examining China's relationship with Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, what the latest Foxconn lockdown says about Apple's risk profile, the real story on China's "ghost cities," and thoughts on the U.S. response to Taiwan.
COVID lockdowns at Foxconn and elsewhere in China, a survey of the near-daily rumors of a looming policy change, glimpses of what these policies have meant for Chinese citizens, and reactions to the latest report seeking clarity as to COVID-19’s origins.
The new standing committee unveiled at the 20th Party Congress, the market reaction in Hong Kong, competing theories on what happened to Hu Jintao on Saturday, and whether the world has seen "Peak Xi."
Xi's departure from the era of "strategic opportunity" at the 20th Party Congress, a wait-and-see approach to the implications of this week, a delay of China's Q3 economic data and ongoing concerns over opacity. Then, reactions to the most recent round of U.S. export controls.