Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with former Google Taiwan HR head Vanessa Lu about how the AI race has three interconnected layers: infrastructure—chips, energy, data centers, and supply chains; models—the research and engineering talent behind AI systems; and products—the devices and markets that bring AI into everyday life. 

Vanessa recounts how Google chose Taiwan as its first data-center location in Asia more than a decade ago, drawn by the island’s dense technology ecosystem, strong ICT supply chain, fast and collaborative engineering culture, and ability to rapidly assemble the components needed to test and scale cloud infrastructure. 

Asia is the future of AI not only because it is home to roughly two-thirds of the world’s population, but because it combines young, technology-ready consumers, optimism toward AI adoption, deep manufacturing capabilities, expanding data-center capacity, and increasingly mobile global talent. Taiwan anchors advanced-chip manufacturing and hardware integration; India provides deep engineering talent and rapid infrastructure growth; Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Thailand, offers scalable data-center development and receptive markets; while China adds exceptional scale, talent, and speed of adoption. The United States and Europe remain vital hubs for frontier research, but Asia’s full-stack ecosystem—from energy and chips to models, products, and users—will be central to determining how AI develops and who benefits from it.

00:00 — Introducing Vanessa Liu and AI’s hidden infrastructure story

01:30 — Inside Google Taiwan: HTC integration, COVID, and the AI boom

02:20 — The ChatGPT moment and tech’s new sense of urgency

05:00 — How Google responded: from leadership signals to company-wide action

06:30 — Why AI is more than models: infrastructure, computing, and supply chains

07:50 — The three layers of AI: infrastructure, models, and products

08:55 — Why Taiwan became central to AI infrastructure

09:40 — Why Google chose Taiwan for its first Asian data center

12:00 — Taiwan’s technology ecosystem and culture of rapid experimentation

12:40 — Google’s HTC integration and Taiwan’s rise as an R&D hub

15:00 — Taiwan, China, and the competition for hardware and talent

16:40 — Asia’s role in Google’s long-term AI strategy

17:00 — Why Asia is the future: population, youth, and AI optimism

19:00 — India, Malaysia, and Thailand: scaling data centers across Asia

20:30 — India’s engineering talent and AI-product development

21:30 — Asia as the market for AI products, devices, and adoption

22:40 — How Asia’s full-stack AI ecosystem compares with the U.S. and Europe

24:00 — Go-to-market investment: Japan, Singapore, Australia, and beyond

25:00 — China’s AI ecosystem: scale, talent, and consumer adoption

27:00 — Taiwan–China talent flows and new opportunities in AI

28:10 — Taiwan’s push to attract global technology talent

29:00 — The AI race beyond models: talent, infrastructure, partnerships, and products

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

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In this special episode recorded live in Taipei, host Wenchi Yu speaks with Lora Ho, former Chief Financial Officer of TSMC. Lora reflects on nearly three decades helping guide TSMC from a rising Taiwanese chipmaker into a company central to the global digital economy. She explains how TSMC built customer relationships on integrity, commitment, innovation, and trust—often without formal contracts—and why the company continued to invest through semiconductor downturns despite short-term financial pressure. Ho also shares lessons from her work across finance, global business, human resources, and ESG: sustainable success depends not only on technology and operational discipline, but also on empathy, respectful communication, cultural adaptability, and the ability to bring people together around a common purpose. In the AI era, she argues, there is more than one way to win—and human connection, courage, and trust remain indispensable.

00:00 Introduction to Laura and TSMC's Global Impact

00:27 Laura's Career and Leadership Philosophy

01:42 The Concept of Going with the Flow in Leadership

02:35 Passing on Leadership and Organizational Culture

03:48 Building Customer Trust Without Contracts

06:36 Balancing Financial Discipline and Long-term Investment

09:31 The Human Element in Technology and Leadership

10:26 Managing People and Leadership Challenges

12:20 Creating a Culture of Respect and Communication

13:24 Global Cultural Adaptation and Localization

15:28 Women in Leadership at TSMC

16:54 Supporting Women and Diversity Initiatives

18:05 Leadership Style and Cultural Differences

19:18 Winning Through Empathy and Collaboration

20:15 The Personal Practice of Sunrise Photography

22:21 Closing Remarks and Inspirational Insights

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

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Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Andrew McDermott, founder of Mission Value Partners and a longtime Japan-focused investor, about the significance of U.S.–Japan coordination on the yen, the relationship between currency policy and reindustrialization, and why Japan’s industrial capabilities matter for economic and national security. McDermott argues that as the US, Japan, and China navigate currency volatility, industrial policy, and rising geopolitical competition, Japan is more than a US ally, but a central strategic and economic leader. He explains why the world should look beyond a binary U.S.–China framework. He makes the case that Japan—alongside Taiwan, South Korea, India, Australia, and Southeast Asian partners—offers a viable foundation for resilient supply chains, advanced manufacturing, technology collaboration, and regional deterrence. The conversation also examines China’s role in global finance and industrial production, Japan’s investments across Asia and the United States, and why universities, investors, and policymakers should rebuild U.S.–Japan exchange and expertise.

Further Reading:

• Andrew McDermott’s essay, “What If Japan Is Winning?”
• Clyde Prestowitz, Japan Restored (2015)
• Russell Napier, America, China, and the Death of the International Monetary Non-System (2024)
• U.S.–Japan Foundation report, “Japan, the Indispensable Ally—Except in U.S. Academia”
• ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, The State of Southeast Asia 2026 Survey 

00:00 Introduction to Japan's Role in Asia and the US-Japan Relationship
02:37 The Significance of the July 31 Yen Intervention
04:00 US and Japan's Shared Goals in Currency Stabilization
05:16 Currency as a Tool for National Security and Reindustrialization
07:12 The Long-Term Strategy Behind China's Currency and Industrial Policies
13:32 Japan's Economic and Military Partnerships in Asia
16:15 Japanese Soft Power and Cultural Influence
17:22 Public Perception of Japan in Asia
18:15 Japan's Investment in Regional Infrastructure
19:24 Financial Strategies and Investment Shifts from China to Japan
21:16 China's Deliberate Economic Strategies and Their Consequences
24:12 The Need for a Strategic Shift Toward Japan
25:01 What to Do in Response to Global Shifts
28:37 The Future of Currency Interventions and Regional Re-industrialization

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

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Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Philipp Ivanov, Chief Global Resilience Officer at Melbourne-based RMIT University and a former Australian diplomat, about Australia’s relationship with China and the future of international higher education between the two countries.

As the U.S. government scrutinizes elite universities and their ties to China, Australian institutions face similar challenges. Chinese students remain Australia’s largest international-student cohort, and China is a major research partner. How can universities remain globally open while protecting research, data, intellectual property, staff, and students? How should they distinguish between acceptable risk and unacceptable exposure? And what does resilience look like for a university operating amid intensifying geopolitical competition?

00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest background

01:29 Guest's career overview and focus on education and international relations

03:18 Australia-China relationship: importance and recent developments

05:56 Shift in Chinese foreign policy and its impact on Australia

07:18 Strength of academic and research ties with China

09:36 Post-COVID trends in Chinese students in Australia

12:33 RMIT University and its international engagement

14:08 Risks and resilience strategies for international universities

16:05 Building resilience and managing risks in international partnerships

18:28 Policies and tools for risk management in higher education

22:31 Benefits of international engagement and maintaining open borders

24:28 Future outlook for Australia-China relations and university collaborations

29:56 Goals for a healthy and sustainable international relationship

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

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Host Wenchi Yu sits down with Rui Ma of Tech Buzz China to unpack China’s AI shift over the past year, from Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 launch at the World AI Conference (WAIC) to new U.S. scrutiny of Chinese models. She argues that the “distillation” allegations don’t fit the timelines, and that China’s real edge is not shortcuts but full‑stack competitiveness—especially Huawei‑led chip clusters that knit together thousands of weaker chips for compute, power, models, and applications. She maps a diverse ecosystem—frontier models like DeepSeek, GLM, and Kimi; edge AI in cars and phones; and early embodied AI—and contrasts China’s push to position itself as a global AI alternative to the U.S., actively exporting its AI stack while largely rejecting Silicon Valley’s AGI‑centric, existential‑risk framing of AI development.

Read more from Tech Buzz China: China's AI Industrial Strategy

00:00 Introduction to US-China AI Competition
01:29 Rey Ma on China's AI Progress and Kimi K3
04:24 Xi Jinping's Major Speech at World AI Conference (WAIC)
06:27 China's Hardware Clusters and AI Infrastructure
09:26 US and China Policy Divergence on AI
11:26 China's Support for Open Source AI
13:22 China's Vision of AI and Civilizational Tolerance
15:11 Global Implications of US-China AI Strategies
17:17 Future Outlook for Chinese and US AI Development
20:21 China's Role as a Global AI Standard Setter
24:10 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

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Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Ellen Chang, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer turned defense-tech and impact investor, about how her “happenstance” career led from Taiwan to the Pentagon, Northrop Grumman, and the cutting edge of autonomous systems. Drawing on tours at sea, years in the reserves, and work on platforms like Global Hawk and Triton, Ellen explains how military needs and commercial innovation in drones and autonomy have converged. She shares why dual-use technology and new forms of public–private partnership are critical for Taiwan’s defense, and how Taiwan can leverage its talent, geography, and industrial base in the era of AI-enabled warfare. The conversation offers a rare, practical look at what it takes to build and fund defense technology that actually works in the real world.

00:00 Introduction to Ellen Chang and her background

00:33 Ellen's journey from Taipei to the US Navy

02:00 Her experience with autonomous systems and drones

04:16 Transition from defense contractor to investor

07:53 Growth of defense tech startups and industry shifts

12:28 Taiwan's emerging defense industry and US collaborations

15:54 MOUs, investments, and supply chain in Taiwan

21:43 US-Taiwan relations and defense tech strategy

27:30 Impact investing and regional security in Asia

32:42 Future outlook for defense innovation and geopolitics

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

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As America’s 250th birthday coincides with a turbulent second half of 2026, host Wenchi Yu examines the implications of the U.S.–Israel war in Iran for the global economy, a fraught Trump–Xi meeting over Taiwan, and AI’s rise as a new strategic resource. She explains how these forces accelerate shifts in global power, fuel AI backlash, and test America’s ability to look inward while still leading on the global stage.

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

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Host Wenchi Yu speaks with filmmaker Hao Wu about his latest documentary, TikTok Never Dies, which recently premiered at the Tribeca Festival. Hao chronicles the legal fight between TikTok and the U.S. government — a case many expected the Supreme Court to decide on national security grounds. What he ended up capturing was a story about three American content creators caught in the middle, a presidential election TikTok helped shape, a sudden shutdown and save, and a debate that reveals as much about America's anxieties as it does about China. 

For more about TikTok Never Dies: www.tiktokneverdies.com

00:00 Introduction to Hao Wu and his filmmaking journey

02:58 The origin of 'TikTok Never Dies' and Wu's fascination with TikTok

04:49 The US legislation targeting TikTok and the lawsuit

06:42 The focus on content creators and personal stakes in the lawsuit

08:53 Public perception of TikTok and the national security debate

10:55 The American story versus the China story in Wu's film

12:54 The evidence and public trust in US government claims

14:55 The influence of Trump and the 2024 election on TikTok policies

16:36 Balancing risks and impacts of banning TikTok

18:36 The future of US-China relations and social media influence

20:35 Wu's previous films and their thematic connections

22:57 The role of AI in entertainment and filmmaking

24:40 The business model of documentary filmmaking and AI's impact

26:52 The rise of Chinese short-form dramas and their global influence

28:46 The broader implications for US-China relations and technology

30:43 Current screening and access to 'TikTok Never Dies'

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

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Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Kevin Xu, investor and author of the newsletter, Interconnected, about China’s leading AI labs and the country’s AI trajectory after the DeepSeek moment. From the rise of open‑weight models and a new generation of homegrown PhD‑level AI researchers to working around constraints on advanced chips and grappling with AI‑induced anxiety in Chinese society, Kevin shares insights from his latest visit with top AI developers across China. He also argues that “co‑opetition” will define the future of U.S.–China AI relations.

Connect with Kevin Xu:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Interconnected: https://interconnected.blog/ 

Readsail: readsail.com 

00:00 - Introduction to Chinese AI resilience amid US restrictions
02:08 - Kevin’s recent China trip overview and labs visited
05:09 - Open weight models from Chinese labs surpassing US regressions
06:28 - Impact of Deep Sea moment on global AI attention and open sourcing strategies
08:03 - The importance of the model layer and hardware collaboration in AI progress
09:00 - Young talent and their significant roles in Chinese AI labs
11:06 - How Chinese labs prioritize research despite compute constraints
13:37 - The critical relationship between chip design and AI model development
16:04 - US-China AI ecosystem rivalry and joint development of domestic chips
18:09 - Leading applications: from coding to consumer AI products
20:32 - Energy supply and infrastructure differences shaping AI research environments
23:17 - The strategic importance of open source in China’s global positioning
26:24 - The debate over open source versus closed source for large models
28:42 - Trends towards increasingly closed models driven by profitability
29:13 - The societal perception of AI, job anxiety, and public engagement in China
33:17 - Demographic challenges and AI's role in addressing them
37:11 - Competition versus coopetition: a balanced perspective on US-China AI relations
41:11 - The US-China AI dialogue, safety protocols, and future cooperation prospects
43:14 - The impact of geopolitical events like Meta and Manus deals on AI innovation
44:45 - Talent migration and government policies in AI talent retention and restriction
48:03 - Final insights on the state of US and Chinese AI development and cooperation 

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

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Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Mark Atkeson, a veteran aviation executive with over three decades of on-the-ground experience across both the American and Chinese aerospace industries, to unpack what the latest US–China summit and a smaller‑than‑expected Boeing deal really mean for the future of flying in and out of China. Drawing on decades of experience working with Air China, Pratt & Whitney, GA Telesis, and Chinese airlines, Mark takes us from 1990s engine maintenance in Beijing to today’s vast but stressed Chinese aviation market, where high‑speed rail, post‑COVID headwinds, and state‑owned conservatism are reshaping the industry. Along the way, he explains how Boeing lost ground to Airbus, why China’s homegrown COMAC jet is still struggling to catch up, and how cargo, e‑commerce, and aviation supply chains are becoming a new front in US–China strategic competition.

00:00 Introduction to US-China Aviation Dynamics

01:59 Mark Atkeson's Career in Aviation and China Experience

03:56 Challenges in Chinese Aircraft Maintenance and OEMs

05:43 China's Aircraft Manufacturing and Local Production

08:09 Aftermarket Parts and Maintenance in China

10:27 China's Aviation Sector Size and Growth Forecast

12:13 Impact of COVID-19 and Infrastructure Investment

14:42 Chinese Airlines' Business Model and Profitability

17:08 High-Speed Rail vs Air Travel in China

18:45 Post-COVID Recovery of Chinese Airlines

20:20 Management and Efficiency in Chinese State-Owned Airlines

22:41 Chinese Airlines' Unique Routing and Geopolitical Factors

24:51 Role of Cargo and E-commerce in Aviation

26:27 Boeing's Historical and Strategic Role in China

28:26 Boeing vs Airbus Market Share in China

30:45 COMAC's Development and Market Position

33:51 Supply Chain Challenges and Local Manufacturing

36:12 China's Repair Capabilities and Industry Progress

38:02 Future Outlook: Can China Rival Boeing and Airbus?

Perspectives with Wenchi Yu

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620

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