Sharp China Podcast

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On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a hastily called National People's Congress Standing Committee meeting, Wang Yi's return to his former role as Foreign Minister, and the removal of Qin Gang. Topics include: The messy procedure that led to this week's removal, possible explanations for Qin retaining his role as state councilor, and a possible timeline for an investigation and further announcements regarding Qin's future. Then: What Qin’s removal might mean within the Foreign Ministry, and the signals this situation is sending to the rest of the world. From there: The Politburo's meeting on the economy, explaining the psychology of the current real estate market, and another edict that may put PRC companies in conflict with Western business practices. At the end: More details on what America's semiconductor companies are telling the White House, pronouncing the word "Reuters," and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson announces that he'll be playing for China in this summer's FIBA World Cup.

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

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the mystery surrounding foreign minister Qin Gang, who has not been seen in public since June 25th. As the foreign ministry stays silent, what might explain his retreat from public view, and how does this situation reflect on Xi Jinping and the party? Then: Henry Kissinger makes a surprise visit to Beijing, meets first with Defense Minister Li Shangfu, while John Kerry meets with Li Qiang and Wang Yi to talk common ground on climate issues. Will either of them get an audience with Xi? From there: U.S. chip firms lobby the executive branch, Chinese hackers access the emails of Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and the optics get trickier for Biden's China policy. At the end: Weak economic data for Q2 and a window into who's actually driving the changes to China's relationships with the West.

Related readings:

National conference on ecological and environmental protection; Kerry and Henry Kissinger in Beijing; Qin Gang; Tang poems -- Sinocism 

Weak GDP data; National security "covert front 隐蔽战线"; US export controls; Covid excess deaths -- Sinocism 

 Xi Jinping’s foreign minister has vanished from public view. His prolonged absence is driving intense speculation  -- CNN 

Where Is China’s Foreign Minister? Beijing Won’t Clear Up the Mystery. -- N.Y. Times 

China Blocked Jack Ma’s Ant IPO After Investigation Revealed Likely Beneficiaries -- WSJ

Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang made first throw at an NBA game. -- YouTube 

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang sends New Year greetings at NBA game -- YouTube 

Kissinger Meets China Defense Chief in Pursuing Closer Ties -- Bloomberg 

China’s envoy to US Xie Feng congratulates Henry Kissinger on 100th birthday -- SCMP 

Chip companies, top US officials discuss China policy -- Reuters 

Chinese Hackers Targeted Commerce Secretary and Other U.S. Officials -- N.Y. Times 

China reports second-quarter GDP miss, another record high in youth unemployment -- CNBC 

Looming U.S. Investment Restrictions on China Threaten Diplomatic Outreach -- N.Y. Times 

Canadian Politicians Who Criticize China Become Its Targets -- N.Y. Times 

2012 - The “Just Sisters” Defense: China’s Sex-Scandal Surge | The New Yorker

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This 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 its rivals. From there: The DOJ indicts Gal Luft, Executive Director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, while PRC Foreign Minister Qin Gang is reportedly ill and has not appeared publicly in more than two weeks. At the end: A listener seeks clarification on the domestic challenges facing China and the CPC, the State Department issues a new travel alert for mainland China, and Vietnamese authorities throw Barbie into the middle of a fight in the South China Sea.

Related readings:

3 Takeaways From Janet Yellen’s Trip to Beijing -- N.Y. Times  

Despite Yellen, U.S.-China Decoupling Has Momentum of Its Own -- WSJ

Janet Yellen awkwardly bows to CCP official during Beijing trip: 'Optics the Chinese love' -- Fox News 

Chinese women economists called 'traitors' online for meeting with Yellen -- Reuters 

Column: China flexes critical metals muscles with export curbs -- Reuters 

After China’s Rare Earth Embargo, a New Calculus -- N.Y. Times 

Co-Director of Think Tank Indicted for Acting as Unregistered Foreign Agent, Trafficking in Arms, Violating U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, and Making False Statements to Federal Agents -- DOJ 

‘Health reasons’: Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang to miss Asean meeting -- SCMP 

Is High-speed Rail in China a "Gray Rhino"? --

China Travel Advisory -- US Department of State

Studio defends Barbie movie after controversial map prompts Vietnam ban -- Guardian 

How Do ‘Barbie’ and Blackpink Figure in a Dangerous Territorial Dispute? -- N.Y. Times 

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 link 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

On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with recent comments from President Biden that provided a surprise postscript to last week’s episode about renewed US-China engagement. Then: What the PRC might be thinking after a weekend of uncertainty in Russia, and using Putin’s struggles as an object lesson in why Xi has been so aggressive in his efforts to ref…

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

On today's show Andrew and Bill talk through Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's trip to Beijing. First: The voices that convinced Biden to push for an improved relationship, what “back to Bali” actually entails, and reactions to the meetings between Blinken and PRC counterparts Qin Gang and Wang Yi. From there: The Biden Administration wants to close …

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

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest on Secretary Blinken's visit to Beijing before turning to a recap of several reports on PRC surveillance activities in Cuba and the evolving responses they've elicited from the Biden Administration. From there: What Xi might be signaling with his calls to prepare for “extreme” circumstances and scena…

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reports that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken may visit China sometime "in the coming weeks." Topics include: The State Department's preliminary trip this past weekend, benefits of continued communication, risks of communication as a reward in itself, and why it's important that Blinken visit before others in the cabinet. Then: The Shangri-La Dialogue and the PRC's controversial tactics in the South China Sea, and reactions to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan articulating the One China Policy and why the U.S. remains committed to it. From there: Desertification and China's attempts to curb it, a question about economic stimulus, and a listener's follow-up to last week's Microsoft conversation. At the end: Traveling to China, CPC membership, and a new drilling project that caught the world's attention.

We love feedback and questions for future episodes. To email the show: [email protected]. You can also submit questions and feedback in the Sinocism chat.

As per our custom, this first Sharp China episode of the month is outside the paywall and free for everyone. If you would like to have access to all the podcasts, and full Sinocism newsletter, please sign up here.

Links:

Blinken to China?; Xi on desertification; Li Qiang to Germany and France; Economic concerns; Disappearing "Glory to Hong Kong" -- Sinocism

Trade data; Waiting for stimulus; EU-China; Gaokao; SOE cadre's career-ending stroll -- Sinocism

US Secretary of State Blinken Set to Travel to Beijing for Talks in Coming Weeks -- Bloomberg

U.S. and China lock horns at Asia’s top security forum -- Washington Post

Statement on Unprofessional Intercept of U.S. Aircraft over South China Sea -- USINDOPACOM

Popularity of China’s ‘New Security Initiative’ is inevitable: Global Times editorial -- Global Times

Fareed Zakaria on Twitter -- Twitter

Xi urges sustained efforts to curb desertification -- Xinhua

China, Mongolia aim to stop spread of shared desert that threatens mining and agriculture on both sides -- SMCP

What Engagement With China Has Meant for Me -- Wall Street Journal

China Is Drilling a 10,000-Meter-Deep Hole Into the Earth -- Bloomberg 

In a geologic triumph, scientists drill a window into Earth’s mantle -- Washington Post

The most shocking photo of Beijing air pollution I’ve ever seen -- Washington Post

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

On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the rejected pitch from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to meet with Defense Minister Li Shangfu this weekend. Topics include: The importance (and limits) of maintaining ongoing military backchannels, why the U.S. push for a meeting was more complicated in this case, and a postscript to last week's questions …

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

On 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…

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

On 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…