This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) is joined by Bert Hofman, professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School at the National University of Singapore and the former World Bank's Chief Economist of East Asia and the Pacific Region, and Country Director for China.

The United States and China agreed on May 12 to drastically roll back tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period, in a significant breakthrough that has de-escalated a punishing trade war and buoyed global markets.

In this episode, I invite Bert to share his views on China-U.S. trade relations, the impact of the tariff rollbacks, and what it all means for the future of global supply chain and multilateral institutions.

Bert is also the former director of the East Asian Institute of the National University Singapore (NUS). He is a Senior Fellow at MERICS in Germany, nonresident senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and Member of the World Association for China Studies. Before joining NUS, he worked with the World Bank for 27 years, 22 of which in Asia, and 12 of which on China.

Bert's current interests include China’s future growth trajectory, technology, aging, and geopolitics and China-U.S. relations. He also runs a Substack newsletter called Bert's newsletter.

Highlights:

03:21 - What surprised — and didn’t — in the China-U.S. trade deal

06:13 - Tariff "pause" and transit trade

12:53 - How the trade war reshapes global supply chain strategy

17:14 - Trade talks and how countries strategize

19:51 - The uncertain path ahead for China-U.S. trade relations

27:33 - National security is becoming a growing global priority

29:40 - The future of multilateral institutions amid U.S. retreat

39:17 - Recommendation

Recommendation:

Zbig: The Life and Times of Brzezinski, America's Great Power Prophet, by Edward Luce

You can also listen to Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) is joined by Robert Wu, CEO of BigOne Lab, a leading alternative data and research firm in China. Robert is also the creator of two acclaimed China-focused newsletters, Baiguan and China Translated. Long-time listeners might remember Robert as the guest on our very first episode.

During this holiday season, I couldn't think of a better time to invite Robert back to the show. In this episode, we'll get his outlook on 2025 from the perspective of a CEO in China and a leading figure in the data industry. While we won't be able to cover everything, I hope what we discussed will resonate with you.

In this conversation, we dive into the market outlook for 2025, emerging trends in China's consumer market, the "all-in" mindset of CEOs, China's first centrally administered state-owned enterprise dedicated to data technology, the evolution of data as a strategic asset, the influence of China-U.S. relations on business strategies, and even a discussion about the TV series 我的阿勒泰 To the Wonder.

Highlights:

01:45 - Renewed interest in Chinese equities amid global market uncertainties

07:59 - How interest-based and value-based consumption will shape China's consumer market in 2025

12:16 - Lululemon's growth in China driven by shifting consumer priorities toward premium sportswear

15:57 - How "Founder Mode" shapes the way Chinese entrepreneurs lead their businesses

20:17 - China's new state-owned data enterprise to break down "data silos" and boost efficiency

27:20 - How China-U.S. relations in 2025 will influence business strategies

33:15 - Recommendation

Recommendation:

TV Series: 我的阿勒泰 To the Wonder, released this May on Chinese video platform iQIYI.COM

You can also listen to Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Annie Song, a young Chinese film producer and art director of 林象文化 Jungle Vision, a Beijing-based start-up dedicated to curating independent film festivals in China.

In this episode, we explore how young independent Chinese filmmakers are seizing opportunities at film festivals and contributing to the rise of new genres in China, with a particular focus on the increasing popularity of socially themed films. We also delve into the evolving dynamics between the Chinese and American film industries, as well as the successes and challenges Chinese films face in reaching international audiences. Additionally, we discuss how innovative promotional strategies, such as short video platforms, are revolutionizing the way films connect with viewers.

Annie Song holds a BA in Film Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and brings over eight years of experience to the film industry. She was recently honored with the Most Promising Filmmaker award at the 29th Busan International Film Festival, cementing her reputation as a rising star in the field.

Highlights:

06:22 - The unique traits of China’s emerging filmmakers

08:10 - Film festivals as a launchpad for young Chinese filmmakers

11:40 - Challenges shared by the Chinese and U.S. film industries

19:20 - Increasing popularity of socially themed films in China

24:04 - The re-release trend of classic films

26:22 - Chinese films going global

34:11 - Short video platforms transforming film promotion

39:00 - Annie’s plan and her insights on low-budget films

42:36 - Recommendation

Recommendation:

Movies: 好东西 Her Story by director 邵艺辉 Shao Yihui, set to release on November 22, 2024

You can also listen to Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Other Chinese films Annie Song and Jiang Jiang discussed in this episode:

宇宙探索编辑部 Journey to the West (2023)

流浪地球 The Wandering Earth (2020)

逆行人生 Upstream (2024)

我不是药神 Dying to Survive (2018)

爱情神话 B for Busy (2021)

英雄 Hero (2002）

卧虎藏龙 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

影 Shadow (2019)

满江红 River Red (2023)

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Prof. Tang Xiaoyang 唐晓阳, a distinguished scholar from Tsinghua University who specializes in China-Africa relations, China's engagement in the developing countries, and global modernization.

In today's episode, we explore the current dynamics of China-Africa cooperation, with a special emphasis on the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing. We discuss changes in the trade product structures between China and Africa, the prospects for Chinese electric vehicles in Africa, the "debt trap" narrative, and how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) synergizes with FOCAC. Additionally, we examine the geopolitical factors that are influencing the future of China-Africa relations.

Prof. Tang currently serves as the chair in the Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University and has a distinguished background that includes significant research on African agricultural development and China's role in shaping economic strategies across the continent. His academic journey is complemented by his practical experience, including consultancy roles with international organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations. His deep understanding of both the theoretical and practical aspects of China-Africa cooperation has made him a sought-after voice in discussions on global development strategies.

Highlights:

07:12 - What to expect on the upcoming FOCAC Summit?

08:50 - Changes in China-Africa trade structure and the impact of global economic shifts

10:36 - Chinese electric vehicles in Africa

19:40 - New trend of investing in Africa and its business environment

28:00 - Geopolitical influence on the direction of China-Africa relations

40:15 - The "debt trap" narrative

42:20 - Prospects for future China-Africa cooperation

47:30 - Recommendation

You can also listen to Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Recommendations:

Books - Professor Tang Xiaoyang's recent book: Coevolutionary Pragmatism: Approaches and Impacts of China-Africa Economic Cooperation (available on Amazon)

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Bob Chen, an investor working for Mangrove Capital 沣源资本, a China-based venture capital fund specializing in software and globalization-themed investments. 

In this episode, Bob discusses the central authorities' recent resolution on further deepening reforms comprehensively. He explores the challenges in China's development and the promising prospects of the new economic reform blueprint. As a former macro-economist, Bob identifies two favorable trends in the Chinese market -- reduced cost of mobility and an "anti-involution" mindset. He also shares observations on Chinese businesses expanding globally -- the primary focus of his investments, and offers insights into the growing trend of paying for knowledge online among Chinese people.

Bob also runs a popular WeChat blog, "嬉笑创客," and a subscription-based online community on "Knowledge Planet 知识星球," where he shares his insights on macro-economics, venture capital and China's domestic markets. His thoughts have been widely recognized, including a translation of his piece on the U.S.-China decoupling impact in a Baiguan newsletter, and he was a featured guest on Baiguan's podcast discussing Chinese companies' global market strategies.

Highlights:

05:30 - Three major themes of the resolution in Bob Chen’s view

08:45 - What priorities does the resolution outline for China's development in the next phase?

12:43 - Fiscal challenges of the local governments

14:23 - How will China's tax reform improve its distribution system?

20:25 - China's spending on R&D and the benefits of electric vehicle development

25:11 - "Anti-involution" mindset gains steam in the Chinese market

27:52 - Chinese businesses going global

36:34 - People's willingness to pay for knowledge in China -- "Knowledge Planet" as an example 

41:08 - Recommended travel destinations in China other than Beijing and Shanghai

You can also listen to Inside the China Room with Jiang Jiang on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Yaling Jiang, the founder of Following the Yuan, a newsletter covering China's consumer market, and Aperture China, a research and strategy consultancy. The show kicks off with a review of the changes in China's 2023 consumer market and explores future trends, the key drivers behind these shift and the potential impacts on international brands doing business in China. While discussing the role of social media in shaping consumption behaviors, the show examines the shifts in how Chinese people process information before, during, and after the pandemic, shedding light on how international brands can adjust their marketing strategies. As many large consumer brands and luxury brands strategically enter lower-tier markets, Yaling and JJ also discusses the new opportunities in these markets.

This episode was recorded on Feb. 5.

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Prof. Wu Yongping 巫永平, the dean of the Institute of Taiwan at Tsinghua University and a renowned expert on Taiwan affairs and cross-Strait relations.

In this episode, Prof. Wu shares his views on the outcomes of Taiwan's elections in January and his understanding of mainstream public opinion, voter divisions on cross-Strait issues, and concerns regarding trust in political figures in Taiwan. He analyzes the performance of the Kuomintang (KMT) in recent elections and the challenges it faces in the coming four years. Additionally, he talks about the influence of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) and the implications of U.S. government policies on Taiwan. He also elaborates the relationship between the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the peaceful reunification with Taiwan.

This episode was recorded on Feb. 2.

Highlights:

04:25 - Mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and voters high division on cross-Strait issues

10:03 - Prof. Wu's outlook on cross-Strait relations

14:23 - KMT's dual challenge: modernizing its image while maintaining cross-Strait relations

18:12 - Taiwan People's Party’s influence and future

23:12 - U.S. government's policy on the Taiwan issue

29:18 - China's commitment to integrated development and peaceful reunification

33:50 - Misconceptions about the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and military preparation

38:00 - Cautioning against self-fulfilling prophecies: analyzing the perils of Sino-U.S. tensions

45:50 - Differences and similarities in challenges faced by Taiwan and the Chinese mainland

You can also listen to Ginger River Radio on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This week on Inside the China Room, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Prof. Yao Yang 姚洋 , one of China's leading economists and the dean of Peking University's National School of Development. In this episode, Professor Yao shares his views on the "Peak China” theory, his expectations for China's GDP growth rate in 2024 and his takeaways from the recent Central Economic Work Conference and the study session on boosting the high-quality development of the financial sector. He goes into details about challenges amid the adjustment period of China's economy and offers insights into policies aimed at addressing issues such as local government debts, the real estate market and low consumer confidence.

Recommendations:

Books - Professor Yao Yang's recent book: China and the West: A Pragmatic Confucian’s View (available on Amazon)

The book reflects Yao Yang’s thought on China’s path of modernization and the effort to rebuild a political philosophy based on Confucianism, his interpretation of China’s political system and his prescriptions to improve it.

This week on Ginger River Radio, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes 王义桅 Wang Yiwei, who is Jean Monnet Chair professor, Director of the Institute of International Affairs, and Director of the Center for EU Studies at Renmin University of China.

With his academic interests spanning diverse realms, including Belt & Road studies, European integration, public diplomacy, Chinese foreign policy, and EU-China relations, Professor Wang is a trailblazer in his field. Notably, he has been a pioneer in advancing global commons theory, critiquing Western international relations theory. As one of China's earliest scholars in the domain of public diplomacy, he has consistently fostered academic connections between China and Europe.

In this episode, Professor Wang provides insights into various aspects of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including its origin and three stages of development, and discusses whether the BRI represents a new form of colonialism or a debt trap. He also explores Italy's stance on the BRI, China's competitive advantages, its cooperative approach with non-participating nations, and the BRI's role in reshaping globalization. Finally, he shares expectations for the BRI's future and its potential benefits for China.

Summary:

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has undergone three stages of development, initially focusing on hard infrastructure and subsequently advancing to soft infrastructure projects. The third stage will venture into more innovative projects such as digitalization and cultural exchange. The BRI is not a new colonialism or debt trap but a strategy to address colonialism's legacy, with its vision endorsed by UN. Italy's withdrawal from the BRI is influenced both by COVID-19 disruptions and pressure from the G7 nations to maintain global alliances.

China's advantage in advancing the BRI projects lies in its complete industry categories, ensuring efficiency, cost-effectiveness, long-term stability, inclusiveness, and adaptability to local conditions. The BRI's cooperative approach extends beyond its participants, with non-BRI countries like Brazil engaging in various projects. This initiative represents a new form of inclusive globalization, emphasizing people-centric and development-oriented approaches.

Expectations for the next ten years of the BRI involve forming multilateral alliances and headquarters, increasing influence, and expanding its scope. The BRI has facilitated convenience for the Chinese people and supported the growth of the Chinese economy while promoting global diplomatic outreach.

You can also listen to Ginger River Radio on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Highlights:

05:56 - The origin of BRI

08:09 - Three stages of BRI

12:17 - Is BRI a new colonialism or debt trap?

15:15 - Why doesn't Italy want to continue with the BRI?

19:10 - Chinese competitive advantages

22:04 - China's cooperative approach with non-participants of BRI

25:18 - BRI as a new form of globalization

26:13 - Expectations for the BRI's next ten years

28:31 - How China can benefit from BRI

Recommendations:

Books - Professor Wang Yiwei's recent books include A Global Community of Shared Future: Understanding the New Vision for Globalization, An Interconnected World: China and the Belt and Road Initiative, China Connects the World: What’s Behind the Belt & Road Initiative, The Belt & Road Initiative: What China Will Offer the World in Its Rise, Haishang: Revelations of European Civilisation and China NATO Research Series (Chinese Edition).

This week on Ginger River Radio, Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes 刘宏 Mike Liu, who is Vice President, Senior Fellow – Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a leading non-governmental think tank in Beijing, and has an accomplished executive with 30+ years of professional experience in digital transformation, operational excellence, cross culture leadership development and market growth strategies with leading technology multinationals.

In this episode, Mike shares his perspectives on the primary misunderstandings between China and India, the commonalities they share, and the potential areas for strengthening their cooperation. Mike also delves into the prospects for India's economic growth in the future, and the role that its population plays therein. In addition, Mike and JJ discuss the potential future trends of the relationship between India and the United States, as well as the admirable traits and spirit that Indian entrepreneurs exemplify.

Mike is the former Managing Director and legal Rep for DXC Technology in Greater China region, and before that Mike was the global Vice President, Country Head and legal Rep for Infosys, an Indian Multinational corporation, in Greater China region. Mike’s experience spans across Greater China, US, Singapore, and India where Mike has demonstrated his unique capacity to accomplish the growth agenda for the organizations he has served.

Summary:

Speaking from his work experience from an Indian multinational company, Mike Liu says there are more things alike than people might expect between China and India, such as strong educational values and hard work ethics. He also regrets the misconceptions that Chinese may hold of India as underdeveloped and Indians of China as stagnant. With India strategically raising its global profile by hosting events like the G20 summit, there is no better time like now for more bilateral exchanges and mutual understanding.

India is changing, but don't expect this to be at the "Chinese speed", Liu says. Chinese enterprises need to be extra cautious of government policies when they explore the Indian market, and make special efforts to liaison with Indian authorities. The process may be tough, but Liu assures his audience that India has enough potential to be worth the hardships, with its growing and ever vibrant young generation.

Highlights:

7:07 - Misconceptions from China and India for each other

12:01 - Rich potential for the Indian economy

14:53 - India's rising diplomatic profile - and how it will shape the China-India relations

19:40 - Will India replace, contain, or collaborate with China? And vice versa

30:03 - U.S. as the third player in China-India relations

33:50 - The secret to the success of Indian managers, from a cultural perspective

42:58 - India's business environment reflected in the Xiaomi incident

49:27 - Three considerations for foreign enterprises in India

53:29 - Recommendations

Recommendations:

Book - Jugaad Innovation by Navi Radjou

Movie - Dangal, starring Aamir Khan