Shows
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: TikTok in the Clear; Taiwan Questions and Soybean Angst; The K Visa Goes Live; Jensen Huang on China HawksThis episode of Sharp China is outside the paywall. Show Notes: On today’s Andrew and Bill begin with President Trump’s executive order authorizing a proposal for a TikTok divestiture from ByteDance. Topics include: Why the proposed deal would be a win for ByteDance, China and the Trump administration, security concerns that haven’t necessarily been addressed, and signals that opposition to the deal across D.C. is likely to be muted. Then: A report that the PRC will seek a shift on U.S. Taiwan policy in the course of trade talks, Secretary Bessen...
2025-10-011h 04
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Trade War Becomes a Supply Chain War; A Global Rare Earth Emergency; Xu Qiliang and the Xi Rumor MillThis episode of Sharp China is outside the paywall. Show Notes: On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a series of escalatory policies from the U.S. and talk of a call between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump later this week. Topics include: The rare earth frustration on the American side, the PRC’s use of leverage, the potential downsides for the PRC as the rest of the world grapples with shortages, and the maddening failures of the West to prepare for exactly this scenario. At the end: An update on TikTok, the deat...
2025-06-051h 00
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Xi Jinping and China's Tech Companies, The Long-Run Implications of the Chip Ban, and a Pessimistic Outlook for TaiwanThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes:On today’s special crossover Sharp Tech/Sharp China episode, Ben Thompson and Bill Bishop discuss the private enterprise symposium and Xi Jinping's rapprochement with China's tech companies, and the connection between xAI and DeepSeek. Then, an extended debate on the chip ban, including its potential long-term consequences, and whether or not a course correction is possible. Finally, why the situation surround Taiwan is worrisome, and whether Trump is looking to make a deal.
2025-02-1915 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Happy Lunar New Year and A Few Thoughts on DeepSeekThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: On today’s show Andrew and Bill wish a Happy Lunar New Year to the audience and interrupt the holiday week in the PRC to share various reactions to a week of DeepSeek discussion in the U.S. Topics include: The DeepSeek origin story, OpenAI and distillation questions, DeepSeek’s future in China after Liang Wenfeng’s meeting with Li Qiang, how…
2025-01-3010 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: TikTok Fiasco Continues; Breathing Room on Tariffs; The RMB Calculus; Notes on Taiwan and HollywoodThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes:On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the fate of TikTok after a wild week of updates. Topics include: A ByteDance investor who says that TikTok may continue in the U.S. without a full divestiture, lessons for the PRC and US from the past few weeks, and why potential TikTok buyers might be wary of any deal structure that doesn't comply with the letter of federal law. Then: Week 1 of the Trump presidency provides some breathing...
2025-01-2415 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: TikTok and Musk and Xiaohongshu; Xi’s Speech To Top Leaders; New PLA Capabilities for Taiwan; Proposed AI Controls and Continued Hacking ConcernsThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes:On today’s show Bill and Andrew begin with multiple reports that Chinese officials have considered working with Elon Musk to find a resolution for TikTok in the U.S., while TikTok‘s users have flocked to Xiaohongshu and inspired a few more questions for the future. Then: Parsing Xi Jinping’s speech in the first 2025 issue of Qiushi, why both the substance of his message and his audience heighten concerns, and reactions to a new fleet of barges in Guangzhou that could factor into t...
2025-01-151h 02
Sharp China PodcastSharp China Bonus Episode: TikTok Gets a Hearing at the Supreme CourtWe decided to do a short, free episode to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision to take up TikTok’s case before the January 19th deadline. Show Notes:On a bonus episode following up on Wednesday morning's show, Andrew and Bill react to the news—which broke later Wednesday morning—that the Supreme Court has granted cert to TikTok in its appeal of the D.C. Circuit's decision earlier this month upholding the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Topics include: A bit more hope for TikTok, revisiting the D.C. Circuit’s answer to the First Amen...
2024-12-1916 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: CEWC and Bleak Economic Data; PLA Exercises Around Taiwan; New Reporting on Chip Controls; Trump’s Standing Invitation to XiThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes:On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a few updates on the Central Economic Work Conference, economic headwinds facing the PRC economy, including weaker-than-expected retail data, mixed data from the real estate market, and concerns from an economist assessing the conditions on the ground. From there: Reactions to last week's PLA exercises around Taiwan, divergent reactions from policymakers in Taipei and Washington, and a new report on the process behind the Biden Administration's latest round of updates...
2024-12-1814 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: ‘Moderately Loose’ and Cautiously Stimulating; Nvidia Under Investigation; Broadening Export Bans; A TikTok Verdict and a Trump PrayerThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest messaging from Beijing on efforts to stimulate the economy in 2025 and beyond. Topics include: Politburo language that echoes 2008, muted reactions from the mainland markets, why the ultimate policy decisions may not be made until the PRC has more clarity on Trump's intentions, and more. From there: Nvidia finds itself at the center of an antitrust probe, while the PRC restrictions on critical minerals are broader than initially thought, and drone components are...
2024-12-1112 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Final Updates to the Biden Chip Controls; Peak Tough on China?; PLA and CEWC Speculation; More Trump Questions than Answers in BeijingThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes:On today’s show Andrew and Bill return from the holiday break with reactions to the latest round updates to the US export controls on semiconductors. Topics include: Why some think the updates are weaker than they should’ve been, takeaways from the past two years of chip controls, TikTok’s new hopes, and whether the U.S. has now passed the peak of tough-on-China policies. From there: The suspension of Admiral Miao Hua, member of the Central Military Commission and director of the Politi...
2024-12-041h 05
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Final Biden-Xi Meeting; PRC Messaging to the World; Mass Attacks and the Party Response; Trump Transition UpdatesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes:On today's show Andrew and Bill begin by parsing the PRC readout from this weekend's meeting between XI Jinping and President Joe Biden, including the four red lines communicated by the PRC to the US, PRC language surrounding enhanced security ties between the US and pacific allies, and a farewell to the San Francisco vision. From there: Xi Jinping's message to APEC and the charm offensive planned for a Trump administration, China's calculus amid global climate initiatives, and...
2024-11-2012 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Stabilization Measures and Export Questions; Taiwan Considers US Arms Purchase; TSMC Halts Advanced Chip Sales to China; Trump Tea Leaves and Cabinet PicksThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 …
2024-11-1315 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Questions and Expectations for Trump 2.0; Looming Trade Tensions and PRC Responses; Volatility and Intermediaries; TikTok’s Last Hope?This episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: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...
2024-11-081h 04
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Myriad Holes in US Chip Controls; New Reports on TSMC and Huawei; The Latest "Stimulus" News; Mixed Signals on Private TutoringThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-10-3009 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Questions for BRICS and the NPC; PRC Nuclear Arsenal and Ambitions; Taiwan's Energy Security; Heightened Scrutiny on TSMC and the Biden AdminThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-10-2312 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Operation Joint Sword 2024B; The Latest on the "Stimulus"; US Presidential Election Follow-Up; Two Pandas Fly to D.C.This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-10-1615 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Market Adventures Continue; Waiting for an NPC Meeting; EU Tariffs on PRC EVs; Taiwan National DayThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-10-0911 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Animal Spirits and Xi Bull Market 2.0; Plans for the Property Sector; US-China Updates; Xi and the Succession QuestionThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: 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...
2024-10-0250 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Unpacking the New Stimulus Measures; A Top Economist Disappears; US Moves on Connected Vehicles; The Future of China Policy for DemocratsThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-09-2615 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Retirement Age Reforms; A Sabina Shoal Win for the PRC and Questions for the US; Chip Companies in DC; Japan and TikTokThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 Ma...
2024-09-1816 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Arrest of Linda Sun; Overcapacity and Mounting Deflation Concerns; A New Role for Qin Gang; Rock Bottom for PRC Men's SoccerThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 protestors during Xi's APEC visit in November. From there...
2024-09-1115 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The US-China Strategic Channel; Continued Drama in the South China Sea; The Next Phase of Chip Controls; Black Myth: WukongThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: 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 in...
2024-09-041h 07
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: A New Flashpoint with the Philippines; PRC and the US Election; Tim Walz and China; Connected Vehicles UpdatesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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, t...
2024-08-2114 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Questions for the Remainder of Biden’s Term; Huawei Gets Stronger; A Sierra Madre Resupply; Doping Controversy ContinuesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes:On today’s show Andrew and Bill start 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: Ru...
2024-07-3113 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Plenum Puzzles Outsiders; Xi Stays the Course; 'Deepening Reforms' to Western Journalism in China; Remembering the 2008 OlympicsThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 ab…
2024-07-2411 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Parsing the Third Plenum Communique; Xi and the Rumor Mill; Trump on Taiwan; Biden and the Chip Status QuoThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-07-1913 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Prepping for the Third Plenum: Revisiting the Readout, Past Plenums, Common Prosperity, and Momentous Reforms (Or Not)This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: 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...
2024-07-1013 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: A Conversation with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi on TikTok, Tech Investment, and Competition Between the U.S. and ChinaThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: 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...
2024-06-261h 02
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Philippines Tensions Near a Tipping Point; PLA Corruption Crackdown; Xi’s Message to the EU; A Pentagon Propaganda CampaignThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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…
2024-06-2110 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The EU Increases EV Tariffs; US teachers Attacked in Jilin City; Xi Searches for Unicorns; A Question About CorruptionThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: 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, the reactions among commentators in the U.S., and life for Americans living in...
2024-06-1311 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: US-China Messaging in Singapore; New Quality Productive Forces; Putin and a Natural Gas Impasse; 35 Years After Tiananmen SquareThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: 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...
2024-06-051h 03
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: William Lai’s Inauguration; Real Estate Follow-Up; Q&A on Gold and EV Capacity; Fast Fashion on Saturday Night LiveThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 sentimen...
2024-05-2210 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: New Tariffs Across Key US Sectors; Et tu, EU?; Putin Visits Beijing; Rumors of a Real Estate BailoutThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: 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 Be...
2024-05-1713 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Xi goes to Europe; US restricts Intel and Qualcomm sales to Huawei; Tension with the Philippines and Australia; TikTok Files Its LawsuitThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 semi...
2024-05-0913 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Elon Musk’s Surprise Trip to Beijing; A Third Plenum Set for July; An Uneventful Blinken Visit; Xi’s Trip to EuropeThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: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...
2024-05-011h 02
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Blinken to China; San Francisco Vision Six Months Later; TikTok; A Scandal for PRC SwimmingThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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,"...
2024-04-2408 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Germany’s Hopes for China; Q1 GDP Growth; National Security Day and Transnational Repression; Another TikTok ReportThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-04-1712 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Yellen’s Visit to Beijing; PRC Exports and Global Tensions; Finance with Chinese Characteristics; US-Japan-PhilippinesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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...
2024-04-1014 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: A Xi-Biden Phone Call; Yellen and PRC Exports; Continued Tension with the Philippines; Tesla and 3 Body ProblemThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: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: E...
2024-04-041h 04
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: MSS on Cybersecurity; Will the Senate Kill the TikTok Bill?; Solar Energy and the PRC Playbook; Liu Jianchao on the Global SouthThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: 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 a...
2024-03-2012 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: TikTok in the Crosshairs; Why Divestment Is Unlikely; Special Interests vs. National Interests; US Internet Firms in ChinaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes:On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a week of surprising progress for the Protecting 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 Amer...
2024-03-1310 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: A 5% GDP Growth Target; Evolving Two Sessions Symbolism; US to Investigate Connected Vehicles; New TikTok LegislationShow Notes: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 EVs, and there’s a bipa...
2024-03-0653 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Preparing for the Two Sessions; Li Shangfu and Qin Gang; The I-SOON Hacking Leaks; Heightened Scrutiny for Musk and SpaceXThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 t...
2024-02-2811 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: US-China in Vienna and Munich; Hacking and Espionage Allegations; PRC Lobbying in DC; Rep. Gallagher to Depart CongressThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 PRC 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...
2024-02-2109 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Continued Market Adventures; Shifting Trade Patterns with China; Looming Green Energy Questions; Messi and a Hong Kong MessThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 di...
2024-02-0912 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Hong Kong Article 23; No Plenum and Another Market Setback; Trump and Taiwan; TikTok in CongressThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show Notes: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...
2024-02-021h 03
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Tesla’s Future in China; Chinese EVs Around the World; Moves to Stabilize the Markets; More Questions on the Red SeaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 em...
2024-01-2617 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Taiwan Status Quo; Markets and GDP Go Opposite Directions; China and the Red Sea; Cannabis; Soccer CorruptionThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow Notes: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 the 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 th…
2024-01-1914 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Missiles Filled with Water, Not Fuel; Foreign Affairs Work Conference; Liu Jianchao in New York and DC; US-China UpdatesThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show notes: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 po...
2024-01-121h 06
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Big Picture Questions for 2024; Taiwan and the Philippines and Tentative Stability; Our Favorite Memories from 2023This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 the 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...
2023-12-2111 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Central Economic Work Conference; More Friction with the Philippines; Hawks and Doves and KissingerThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 q...
2023-12-1310 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China Free Episode: Politico’s Rendering of a Xi ‘Purge’; Finance with Chinese Characteristics; Moody’s Works from Home; Secretary Raimondo Warns Chip CompaniesThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show notes: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 Financ...
2023-12-081h 07
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Foreign Influencer Ecosystem; Money Flowing Out of China; Xi’s Exit Strategy; A Mao YouTube ControversyThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a new generation of foreign influencers said to be assisting in Xi's campaign to “tell China's story well” and an update on Wolf Warrior diplomacy as 2023 draws to a close. Then: Q&A with the Sinocism chat, including a request for tangible signs of fentanyl progress, regional governments vying for debt relief, Li Qiang at the Central Financial Commission, and a look at why and how PRC citizens are moving investments outside China. At the...
2023-11-2917 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Xi-Biden at APEC; Xi’s Message to the Business Community; Another ‘Dictator’ Comment; Eyes on Taiwan’s Presidential ElectionThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow notes:On today's show Andrew and Bill look back at a week of news from San Francisco. Topics include: A "tactical stabilization" in the US-China relationship, world leaders comparing cars, concessions from the US and a PRC commitment on fentanyl, whether China would prefer Biden or Trump in 2024, and what else was achieved on both sides of the Bide…
2023-11-2115 min
Sharp China PodcastA Sharp Tech and Sharp China Crossover on the Chip Ban, Taiwan, TikTok and MoreShow notes: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 read the full transcript, click here.We recorded this podcast the afternoon of the Xi-Biden meeting on November 15. Andrew and I will record a separate podcast early next week in which we will discuss that meeting.To add the Sharp China feed to your preferred podcast player:Click on the "listen on" button and you will see a...
2023-11-161h 04
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: What Should We Expect at APEC?; Foreign Firms Pull $160 Billion Across Six Quarters; Lee Zhang Detained; Australia Relations "on the Right Path"This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 un...
2023-11-0812 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Li Keqiang and the Mourning Playbook; Wang Yi in DC and Xi to APEC; Gavin Newsom Goes to China; Rahm Emanuel and Resource ExtractionThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show notes:On today’s show Bill and Andrew begin with the passing of Li Keqiang, the grief that swept China over the weekend, and the various party protocols that were set in motion to control the mourning process this week. From there: Another Politburo meeting comes and goes with no news about a third plenum to devise new economic policy, the modest progress and persistent structural challenges animating the US-China relationship in 2023, and the MSS turns its eyes to meteorology. At the end: Extended thoughts on...
2023-11-011h 05
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Tension Simmering in the South China Sea; The Five Eyes and More Spies; Foxconn and Jon Stewart; The New Yorker on XiThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow notes: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 Fiv...
2023-10-2525 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Commerce Closes Some Chip Loopholes; What About TikTok?; Putin and Xi in Beijing; The Beginning of SinocismThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow notes: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...
2023-10-1910 min
Sharp China PodcastXi-Biden Momentum; Calls to Condemn Hamas; The Chip Lobby Fights the Export Controls; Apple and Kyrie IrvingThis episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.Show notes: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...
2023-10-111h 03
Sharp China PodcastOngoing Tension with the Philippines; Xi Welcomes Assad; Ambassador Emanuel Continues His Posting; Qin Gang's Fling; Panda Diplomacy and the National ZooThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow notes:On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a correction to last week’s episode and the latest bizarre twist in the Qin Gang saga. Then: A closer look at the recent clashes between the PLA and the Philippines in the South China Sea, this week’s news at the Scarborough Shoal, the Filipino media strategy under President Marcos, and possible PRC responses as international attention intensifies. From there: Xi welcomes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Hangzhou, Syria...
2023-09-2712 min
Sharp China PodcastUnanswered Qin Gang Questions; Three Wins for Xi Jinping Economic Thought; US Sources Float New Balloon Details; Huawei Intrigue ContinuesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow notes:On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with this week's Wall Street Journal reporting on Foreign Minister Qin Gang. As sources in Beijing relay allegations of an affair and a lovechild eligible for a US passport, plenty of questions remain. How could those details have gone undetected before Xi departed from protocol and promoted Qin ahead of …
2023-09-2109 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Biden and Xi Updates; Lies, Spies and Agatha Christie; Interference Allegations in the UK and Canada; Apple’s Latest Marketing ChallengeThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 ab...
2023-09-1311 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Xi Skips the G-20 as the MSS Puts APEC in Question; More Fallout from the Huawei FU; Rahm Emmanuel has Takes; Apple Needs VR HelpShow notes:On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the news that Xi Jinping will skip this weekend’s G-20 summit in India, a Ministry of State Security warning that the United States has work to do before any Biden-Xi summit later this year, and the ongoing questions surrounding the recent MSS foray into social media and US-China directives. Then: The international media learns more about Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro, what it could mean if reports are true that SMIC -- the largest semiconductor foundry company in mainland China -- assisted Huawei in making 7 nanometer chips...
2023-09-061h 11
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Fukushima Outrage Continues; Secretary Raimondo in China; Perfect Timing for a Huawei Launch; TikTok Lobbyists Take a BowThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 meet...
2023-08-3011 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The World Gets Bearish on China; MSS and CIA Spies; US-Japan-South Korea; Complications for Intel and ARMThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comShow notes: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...
2023-08-2310 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Flooding Hits Beijing and Hebei Province; The PLA's Rocket Force Shakeup; US-China Updates; Unpacking the Beidaihe MystiqueClick here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player.This episode of Sharp China is free for everyone. If you are not a full subscriber and would like have access to all podcast episodes as well as every issue of Sinocism please click this button:Show notes:On today's 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...
2023-08-041h 00
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Qin Gang ‘replaced and erased’; July Politburo meeting; Semiconductor CEOs and the Biden AdministrationThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 si...
2023-07-2709 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Qin Gang Disappears; Kissinger Makes a Surprise Trip to Beijing; Chip Lobbying and Email Hacking in DC; More Worrisome Economic DataThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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...
2023-07-1910 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: Hollerin’ About Yellen; Gallium and Germanium Warnings; Understanding PRC Domestic Challenges; The Barbie Movie Banned in VietnamThis week’s episode is outside the paywall so available to everyone. 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 it...
2023-07-121h 07
Sharp China PodcastBiden’s ‘Dictator’ Curveball; Putin’s Latest Mess Validates Xi’s PLA Purge; Huawei Questions Around the World; China and the Fentanyl CrisisThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 ref…
2023-06-2811 min
Sharp China PodcastBlinken in Beijing; Modest Progress and Unresolved Core Tensions; Too Many Tarmac Takes; More Cuba and Less BalloonThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 …
2023-06-2111 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: A PRC Spy station in Cuba; Xi and “Extreme” Scenarios; Domestic Stimulus and Foreign Money Exodus; What Beijing Did to Improve Air QualityThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 scena…
2023-06-1410 min
Sharp China PodcastA New Blinken Visit?; US-China Drama in Singapore; The Post-Covid Stimulus Calculus; Travel to the PRC in 2023On 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...
2023-06-081h 05
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Latest Failed Attempt at US-China Defense Dialogue; Beijing’s Misread of Europe; Musk in China; Microsoft Finds Malware in GuamThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn 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 …
2023-05-3108 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The G-7 Summit and the PRC Response; Making Sense of Biden’s China Approach; $23 Trillion in Local Debt; Censorship Domestically and AbroadThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the strong messaging that emerged from the G-7 summit in Hiroshima and the foreign ministry‘s response, including thoughts on the ongoing trend toward bifurcation and the cycle of name-calling that pervades the relationship between the US and China. Then: a listener asks about the Biden administration’s China p…
2023-05-2410 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China Podcast: US and China Dreaming of Bali; A Changing Risk Profile for Investors; Canada Expels a PRC Diplomat; Plans for Population and Youth UnemploymentThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to the meeting between Qin Gang and US Ambassador Nicholas Burns, the case for sending Anthony Blinken to Beijing before John Kerry, and a few questions as both sides pine for a reset to the status quo at last fall’s G20 Summit. Then: More information on the Capvision raids as PRC state media confirms…
2023-05-1012 min
Sinocism PodcastSinocism Podcast: Tu Le of Sino Auto Insights on the rise of the China vehicle industryIn this episode of the Sinocism Podcast Bill speaks with Tu Le, Founder and Managing Director of Sino Auto Insights. Tu recently attended the Shanghai Auto Show. We discuss the rise of China EVs both inside China and increasingly in other countries, and especially of BYD, why the legacy foreign auto manufacturers are struggling and will continue to struggle in China, and how “China EV Inc” will win share in many overseas markets. We also discuss Tesla’s positioning in the PRC and some if its challenges ahead, especially from BYD, both inside the PRC and in other markets around...
2023-05-0956 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China Podcast: Open for Business (and Raiding Foreign Businesses); Xi Calls Zelenskyy; India, Pakistan and the PRC; Decoupling with an AsteriskOn today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with news of more raids on Western corporate intelligence firms, investors losing access to Wind Information Co., a reported uptick in foreigners facing exit bans, and the continuing conflict between business-friendly rhetoric and what Xi's security services are doing on the ground. Then: Capital flight to Singapore, various theories to explain the timing of Xi's call to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and head-scratching jargon from the Chinese readout. At the end: The dynamics between India, Pakistan and China, the US strategy with India, and a question about decoupling yields discussion of Apple, Tesla an...
2023-05-031h 02
Sinocism PodcastSinocism Podcast: Tania Branigan on her book Red Memory: The Afterlives of China's Cultural RevolutionEpisode Notes: Tania Branigan and I discuss her excellent new book “Red Memory: The Afterlives of China's Cultural Revolution”. Tania writes editorials for the Guardian and spent seven years as its China correspondent, reporting on politics, the economy, and social changes. We overlapped in Beijing and became friends. I have also published an excerpt from the book here. You can purchase the book on bookshop.org or on Amazon. The audio edition will be available from Tantor starting 7/11/23 wherever audiobooks are sold.Links:China's Cultural Revolution remembered by artist Xu Weixin - vide...
2023-05-0249 min
Sharp China PodcastMacron and Lula Meetings; 'Surgical' Trade Retaliation; The DOJ Charges Dozens of Chinese Security Officers; Waiting for the FBI's Balloon ReportThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill reunite for their first podcast in nearly a month, beginning with takeaways from Brazilian President Lula da Silva's visit to Beijing, the rumored call from Xi to Zelensky that still hasn't happened, and reactions to French President Emmanuel Macron's comments on Europe and Taiwan. From there: The raid on US due diligence…
2023-04-1912 min
Sharp China PodcastThe Tsai/McCarthy Meeting and China's Reaction, Taiwan's Upcoming Presidential Election, Warren Buffett and TSMC, and China and AIOn today’s show guest host Ben Thompson (Stratechery) and Bill begin with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and discuss China's reaction and the mood on the ground in Taiwan as it approaches a Presidential Election. Later: a discussion on Warren Buffett's comments about TSMC and China's proposed rules for AI.As per our custom, this first episode of the month is outside the paywall and free for everyone.Taiwan's president warns 'democracy is under threat' in joint remarks with McCarthy — CNNEuropean leaders in Beijing; Tsai...
2023-04-1358 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: The Grim Implications of Xi's Week in Moscow and the Continuing Adventures of TikTok on Capitol HillThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today’s show Andrew and Bill begin withXi Jinping’s visit to Moscow and a week of news about deepening ties between China and Russia. Topics include: The recent inversion of the Russia-China relationship, concerns about what a Xi-Putin union means for the rest of the world, and more signs that a much broader project is underway as Xi seek to reshape …
2023-03-2411 min
Sharp China PodcastPodcast: Middle East Diplomacy and Reports of a Putin Visit; New Submarines for Australia; A Kamala Harris Beijing Trip?; What Xi Learned from His FatherThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the news that Saudi Arabia and Iran have reestablished diplomatic relations in a deal that was mediated by China, and announced in Beijing last week. Then: A report that Xi could visit Russia as early as next week, a second report that he will be making his first call to Zelenskyy since the Russian invasion beg…
2023-03-1513 min
Sharp China PodcastNew Language from Xi and Qin Gang; Competing Thoughts on DC Consensus; Trudeau and the UFWD; Lessons from Lee Teng-hui's 1995 US VisitThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the first few days of the Two Sessions and what to make of the messages sent by Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Qin Gang. Then: Reactions to a few recent columns expressing concern at the bipartisan consensus in DC, a new plan for Chinese data, and the draft budget provides more signs that self-sufficiency is a…
2023-03-0811 min
Sharp China PodcastEmpty Rhetoric on Ukraine; The Judiciary Under Xi; When Congress Investigates Covid Origins; Updates on Bao FanOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to the PRC’s 12-point plan for a peaceful settlement of the Russian war in Ukraine, including why feigning neutrality fell flat with the international community, continued warnings from U.S. officials regarding weapons assistance, and a visit to Beijing from Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. From there: the Central Party Committee and State Council release new guidelines for legal education, examining the Chinese legal system under Xi, and thoughts on the implications of a Congressional investigation into the origins of Covid-19. At the end: Updates on Bao Fan, the crackdown on...
2023-03-0155 min
Sharp China PodcastUS-China Meeting in Munich; Biden in Kyiv and Wang Yi in Moscow; Blinken’s Warnings on Weapons; The Disappearance of Bao FanThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reaction to the meeting between Wang Yi and Anthony Blinken in Munich last weekend, including competing readouts that signal continued tension between the U.S. and China, other statements weekend that underscore Chinese frustrations, and what to look for from both sides in the months to come. Then: Joe Biden is…
2023-02-2210 min
Sharp China PodcastThe Balloon Frenzy Floats Along; Anti-US Propaganda; Xi and the Hardening of the CPC System; ChatGPT in ChinaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Bill and Andrew begin with the continuing reactions to the balloon controversy, including rumors of a Blinken-Wang Yi meeting in Munich, last weekend’s new foreign object sightings, China’s story of a flying object outside Qingdao, and reports that U.S. officials believe that the initial balloon did, in fact, fly off course. Then: Survey…
2023-02-1608 min
Sharp China PodcastBiden’s State of the Union; Escalating Rhetoric in Congress; Holes in Hardliner Balloon Theory; What Xi Thinks about CompetitionThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a few reactions to Joe Biden’s comments about China in Tuesday’s State of the Union address. From there: several days of outsized reaction around Washington, mounting calls for even stronger American responses to China’s ambitions, and stress-testing the theory that last week’s balloon mess was initiated by rog…
2023-02-0909 min
Sharp China PodcastA Reconnaissance Balloon Spotted over the Continental U.S. and D.C. Cancels the Visit by Secretary BlinkenThis special, short episode is outside the paywall. On today's show Andrew and Bill reconvene for an emergency episode to share their reactions to the news that the Pentagon is tracking a Chinese reconnaissance balloon across the U.S., the statements coming from both the Pentagon and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the news that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has canceled his trip to Beijing.Some links:US readout of Blinken’s call with Wang Yi:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Director of the CCP Ce...
2023-02-0427 min
Sharp China PodcastExpectations for Blinken in Beijing; A U.S. General Predicts War by 2025; Xi to Moscow?; The Decline in Chinese Language StudyOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a variety of thoughts in advance of next week's visit to Beijing from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Topics include: Why cooperation has proven difficult for both sides, hopes that the U.S. can avoid a repeat of Yang Jiechi in Anchorage, an editorial in the People's Daily, and extended thoughts on domestic political concerns underlying the intractable Taiwan dispute. From there: Reactions to a memo from U.S. General Mike Minihan instructing members of the Air Force to prepare for armed conflict with China, while the Russian Foreign Ministry announces...
2023-02-031h 01
Sharp China PodcastAdvice for New China Watchers; Belt and Road after 10 Years; Land Bans and Repeat Covid Cases; Taiwan’s Presence in DCThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin with news of a jinx on last week's show and recommendations for new China watchers. Topics include Bill's lessons from living in China, Andrew's experience as a newcomer, and ten China watching commandments from the legendary editor of China News Analysis, László Ladány. From there: Checking in with the Belt and Roa…
2023-01-2712 min
Sharp China PodcastSharp China: New Talking Points for Private Business; The US-Japan Alliance; More Police Stations Abroad; Marvel Movies Return to ChinaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with thoughts on the change in tone from government officials addressing private business, changes it might signify in the short term, and concerns it may not assuage in the long term. From there: the news of a deepened strategic alliance between the US and Japan, why Beijing is outraged, and best case and worst cas…
2023-01-1912 min
Sharp China PodcastReciprocal Travel Restrictions; Wolf Warrior Diplomacy; Made in China 2025; Traveling to Xi's China as an AmericanThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn today's show Andrew and Bill begin by talking through the latest news on the reopening, including reciprocal travel restrictions imposed on South Korea and Japan, Paxlovid price disputes, and continued uncertainty about case counts. From there: Xie Feng as the likely replacement for Qin Gang in D.C., Zhao Lijan's demotion, the possible demise of wolf…
2023-01-1211 min
Sharp China PodcastThe First Month of Reopening; Xi's Credibility; Qin Gang and US-China Relations; TikTok Forfeits the Benefit of the DoubtOn today's show Andrew and Bill reunite after the holiday break and begin with the continued reopening process around China. Topics include: the tragedy of the past several weeks, calls for more transparency from the CCP, dubious testing requirements for Chinese travelers, the government reportedly pressing pause on some of its chip investments, and why it may take a few months before reopening yields any meaningful shift in economic data. Then: Xi's New Year's address and reactions to a spate of articles related to his standing in China. At the end: Formula 1 may be returning to China...
2023-01-061h 00
Sharp China PodcastA Head-Spinning Reopening, Questions for Musk, The Latest on the Chip Ban, New Realities for Chinese Big TechThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.comOn this week's show Andrew and Bill begin with the landscape in China one week after the widespread elimination of covid restrictions. Topics include: Early reports from Beijing and other major cities, best and worst case scenarios for case numbers, what Westerners can and can’t know, and how this process (and the protests) might change perceptions of t…
2022-12-1414 min
Sinocism PodcastSinocism Podcast #5: 20th Party Congress and US-China Relations with Chris JohnsonEpisode Notes:A discussion of the recently concluded 20th Party Congress and what to expect ahead in US China relations. I'm pleased to welcome back Chris Johnson, CEO of Consultancy China Strategies Group, Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis and former Senior China analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. This is the 7th Party Congress that Chris has analyzed professionally.Links:John Culver: How We Would Know When China Is Preparing to Invade Taiwan - Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceTranscript:Bill: Welcome...
2022-11-0459 min
Sinocism PodcastSinocism Podcast #3: Chen Long on China's economy, Evergrande, Common Prosperity and the 6th PlenumEpisode Notes:Today's guest is Chen Long, co-founder and partner of Plenum, a research firm covering Chinese economy and politics. Prior to that, he was a China economist at Gavekal Dragonomics. Chen Long is a Beijinger, and graduated from Peking University. Welcome to the podcast. It's great to have you.2:20 - I think the economy is a little bit like ice and fire, for now. There are certain areas certainly doing pretty poorly. Of course, everyone always talking about the property market, Evergrande, and basically every couple weeks we see a property developer default… ...
2021-11-0537 min
Sinocism PodcastSinocism Podcast #2: Joanna Chiu on her new book China UnboundEpisode Notes:Today's guest is Joanna Chiu, a long-time journalist covering China from both inside and outside the country, co-founder and chair of the editorial collective 'NüVoices 女性之音', and the author of the new book "China Unbound." She now covers Canada-China issues for the Toronto Star. Joanna, welcome to the podcast.4:20 on Huawei, Meng Wanzhou and the two Michaels - when the whole Huawei, Meng Wanzhou saga was unfolding, I got so many questions from not just Canadian journalists, but media around the world about what was going on. I think it's surprising to us becaus...
2021-11-0546 min
Sinocism PodcastSinocism Podcast #1: Chris Johnson on US-China relations, Xi Jinping and the 6th PlenumEpisode Notes:Today, we're going to talk about US-China relations, the upcoming Sixth Plenum , Xi Jinping, and what we might expect for the next year heading into the 2022 20th Party Congress among other topics. I'm really pleased that our first guest for the Sinocism Podcast is Chris Johnson, CEO of Consultancy China strategies Group, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic International Studies and former senior China analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. 4:45 on US-China relations - I think their assessment is that it's working. In other words, by maintaining that sort of very strict...
2021-11-0537 min