Sharp China Podcast

This 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 the South China Sea, and more.

To subscribe to Sinocism, click here.

To subscribe to Stratechery, click here.

Click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. You can also listen to it in the Substack app, which has its own podcast player:

Related Readings:

House Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale From Chinese Owner or Ban the App -- N.Y. Times

TikTok’s hearing from hell -- Politico 

How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It -- WSJ 

Senators push to declassify TikTok briefings -- The Verge 

American VC Firms Investing Billions into PRC Companies Fueling the CCP's Military, Surveillance State, and Uyghur Genocide -- The Select Committee on the CCP

Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi Call for Urgent Action to Reduce U.S. Dependence on PRC Foundational Chips -- The Select Committee on the CCP

Investigation Findings: The CCP's Role in the Fentanyl Crisis -- The Select Committee on the CCP

China throwing a ‘temper tantrum’ with Taiwan drills, key Democrat says -- Semafor 

To add the Sharp China feed to your preferred podcast player:

Click on the "listen on" button and you will see a dropdown with several options. Make sure you are logged into your account when you do it so you get the correct private RSS feed for subscribers. If you have not logged in for a while you can enter your email and then we will send you a login link.

The “email link” in the pulldown shown above will send you an email that also makes it easy to set it up in your preferred podcast app on your phone.

If you use the Substack app it has a built- in podcast player.

Thanks for listening.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sinocism.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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 the PRC. At the end: Xi Jinping asks entrepreneurs where all of China's billion-dollar startups have gone, questions about how Apple's AI plans might work in China, and an extended discussion of corruption among the party and the PLA, the baseline opacity of investigations, and a few memorable cases from the past. 

This 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 surrounding the Siberia 2 pipeline. At the end: Bill remembers his time in China during the spring of 1989, thoughts on the structural forces that have suppressed memories of June 4 inside China, and lessons that the Party has internalized in the decades that followed. 

On June 15 I will raise the monthly price for Sinocism from $15 to $20 and the yearly price from $168 to $218. The yearly rate for groups of five or more people will increase from $135 to $175. Prices will NOT increase for existing paid subscribers as of June 15, so if you subscribe before then you will lock in the current rate.

This is only the second time I have raised prices since launching in 2017, and there are many subscribers still paying the original $11/mo or $118/yr rate. I like to reward loyalty.

To subscribe to Sinocism, click here.

To subscribe to Stratechery, click here.

Click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. You can also listen to it in the Substack app, which has its own podcast player:

Related Readings:

Xi on New Quality Productive Forces; Shangri-La Dialogue; PRC-Russia; Crackdown on "money exchange gangs" -- Sinocism 

Joint Sword-2024A around Taiwan; Xi in Shandong; G7; Huawei  -- Sinocism 

China hits out at ‘aggressive’ Taiwan for military build-up -- Financial Times 

A tale of dialogues at the Shangri-La: Getting the Chinese message across in various ways -- The Straits Times 

Unleashing “new quality productive forces”: China’s strategy for technology-led growth -- Brookings -Arthur Kroeber

Thread by Michael Pettis -- X 

Russia-China gas pipeline deal stalls over Beijing’s price demands -- Financial Times 

Watching China in Europe—June 2024 -- German Marshall Fund 

China says it will not join Swiss peace conference on Ukraine -- Reuters 

Zelenskyy accuses China of helping Russia sabotage peace summit -- Politico 

China: Closing Off Memory of Tiananmen Massacre -- Human Rights Watch 

Statement From the Tiananmen Mothers on the 35th Anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre by HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

Keeping the Memory of June Fourth Alive - Lingua Sinica

On the 35th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square  -- U.S. State Dept 

Giant pandas returning to DC’s National Zoo -- Fox 5 DC 

To add the Sharp China feed to your preferred podcast player:

Click on the "listen on" button and you will see a dropdown with several options. Make sure you are logged into your account when you do it so you get the correct private RSS feed for subscribers. If you have not logged in for a while you can enter your email and then we will send you a login link.

The “email link” in the pulldown shown above will send you an email that also makes it easy to set it up in your preferred podcast app on your phone.

If you use the Substack app it has a built- in podcast player.

Thanks for listening.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sinocism.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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 sentiment. Then: Questions on the People's Bank of China, a recent push into gold purchases, EV capacity, tariffs on foreign cars, and the latest Central Committee member to be investigated for corruption. At the end: Temu and Shein inspire a Saturday Night Live skit, and Rep. Mike Gallagher is formally sanctioned by the PRC.

Click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. You can also listen to it in the Substack app, which has its own podcast player:

Related Readings:

New Taiwan President; PRC reactions; Real estate; New bull market in Shanghai?; EU trade threat -- Sinocism 

https://sinocism.com/p/new-taiwan-president-prc-reactions

"Pillar of shame" for Lai; Wang Yi at SCO; Gallagher sanctioned; XiAI; Guo Youcai; Ben Lim -- Sinocism 

https://sinocism.com/p/pillar-of-shame-for-lai-wang-yi-at

Full text of President Lai Ching-te's inaugural address -- Focus Taiwan 

https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202405200007 

Mainland says Lai sends "dangerous signal" in speech as Taiwan's new leader -- Xinhua 

https://english.news.cn/20240520/d9024fcff39b4a7ba6a97a9dda5804d0/c.html 

China has a point about Taiwan’s new leader -- FT 

https://www.ft.com/content/0e0ed54f-bc40-45b1-ac36-1d8d51035d7d?shareType=nongift

Thousands protest against contentious Taiwan parliament reforms -- Reuters 

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/protests-taiwan-parliament-pushes-contentious-reforms-2024-05-21/ 

Record number of Chinese ships enter Taiwan waters near Kinmen island -- RFA 

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/southchinasea/china-kinmen-intrusion-05102024034553.html/ampRFA 

China's property support measures disappoint -- Reuters 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/most-chinese-developers-shares-fall-despite-latest-support-measures-2024-05-20/

What China’s central bank and Costco shoppers have in common -- The Economist 

https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/04/11/what-chinas-central-bank-and-costco-shoppers-have-in-common

ASML and TSMC Can Disable Chip Machines If China Invades Taiwan -- Bloomberg

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-21/asml-tsmc-can-disable-chip-machines-if-china-invades-taiwan?sref=5KSwFgaY

How China’s EV overcapacity has come to a head after 15 years, and what’s in store for the industrial policy race with US and EU -- SCMP 

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3262505/how-chinas-ev-overcapacity-has-come-head-after-15-years-and-whats-store-industrial-policy-race-us

China Has Gotten the Trade War It Deserves -- The Atlantic 

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/05/china-tariffs-electric-vehicles-trade-war/678385/

China Hints at Retaliation in Trade Clash With Europe -- Bloomberg 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-18/china-state-media-warns-of-retaliation-on-eu-subsidy-probes?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&sref=5KSwFgaY

China Says Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian Is Under Investigation -- Bloomberg 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-18/china-says-agriculture-minister-tang-is-under-investigation?sref=5KSwFgaY

China sanctions former Rep. Mike Gallagher, a fierce critic of Beijing -- NBC News 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-sanctions-former-rep-mike-gallagher-rcna153218

Hudson’s Mike Gallagher’s Statement in Response to CCP Sanctions -- The Hudson Institute 

https://hudsoninstitute.cmail19.com/t/i-e-auktutk-tjhhydiyp-y/

Fast Fashion Ad - SNL -- YouTube 

To add the Sharp China feed to your preferred podcast player:

Click on the "listen on" button and you will see a dropdown with several options. Make sure you are logged into your account when you do it so you get the correct private RSS feed for subscribers. If you have not logged in for a while you can enter your email and then we will send you a login link.

The “email link” in the pulldown shown above will send you an email that also makes it easy to set it up in your preferred podcast app on your phone.

If you use the Substack app it has a built- in podcast player.

Thanks for listening.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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 Beijing has tried to strike between capitalizing on the relationship with Russia and maintaining its ties to Europe. At the end: The many hurdles facing policymakers trying to restore the real estate sector, a New York Times op-ed about TikTok, an update on the Michael Chang documentary that was delayed last year, and Pink Floyd in Sichuan.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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 semiconductors for computers and mobile phones. At the end: The latest twist in the dispute at Second Thomas Shoal, an Australian helicopter takes evasive action to avoid the PLA, ByteDance and TikTok take their fight to court, and a book rec for anyone interested in the origins of the GDP metric.

This 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 announcement for the long-awaited Third Plenum, and policy changes that may or may not materialize in the months to come. At the end: Takeaways from Secretary of State Blinken's visit to Beijing last week, Xi Jinping prepares to travel to the EU amid a flurry of investigations into PRC entities and actors, and an emailer asks about the veracity of officially reported PRC economic data.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sinocism.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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," talking points from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance of Blinken's visit, and interesting language from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson late last week. Then: The House TikTok legislation is about to become law, what TikTok may do next, and questions surrounding the PLA's new Information Support Force. At the end: A recent scandal for Chinese swimming inspires memories from the '90s and commentary from Ambassador Rahm Emanuel. 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com

Show 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 the MSS, memories from Bill’s time translating Chinese literature in the early 90s, journalist Vicky Xu shines a light on transnational harassment in Australia, and Fortune Magazine delivers the latest blow to TikTok's claims of independence from ByteDance.