Sharp China with Bill Bishop

By Andrew Sharp and Sinocism’s Bill BishopNews

Sharp China with Bill Bishop episodes

August 21, 2024 (Preview) A New Flashpoint with the Philippines; PRC and the US Election; Tim Walz and China; Connected Vehicles Updates
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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, three categories of American China strategists, and questions about Kamala Harris' approach to China. At the end: The scrutiny surrounding Tim Walz and his history of engagement with China, reports of a proposed rule on Chinese connected vehicle software, and a LiDAR company is removed from the Pentagon's blacklist.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Xi meets Olympics team; Fiji PM and IPU delegation; PRC-Philippines tensions; US reacts to PRC’s evolving nuclear strategy; Real estate price cuts — Sinocism
Xi meets Vietnam General Secretary; Premier Li chairs State Council plenary and executive meetings; PRC-Philippines boat collisions — Sinocism
Philippines Fortifies South China Sea Outpost For a Decade — Bloomberg
Collisions Tear Holes in U.S. Ally’s Ships as Tensions Flare in South China Sea — Wall Street Journal
Does China Prefer Harris or Trump? — Foreign Affairs
Manila's provocations in South China Sea doomed to fail — China Military Online
The Case for a Clean Energy Marshall Plan — Foreign Affairs
How to talk China in 2024 — Breaking Beijing
Tim Walz, Harris’s VP pick, has a long history with China — Washington Post
Tim Walz’s long history with China shaped by horrors of Tiananmen — Financial Times
China is not an enemy — Washington Post
US expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous vehicles — Reuters
China’s Hesai to be removed from US defence department blacklist — Financial Times
The right’s serious minds have a Tim-Walz-Chinese-sleeper-agent theory — Washington Post
15 min
July 31, 2024 (Preview) Questions for the Remainder of Biden’s Term; Huawei Gets Stronger; A Sierra Madre Resupply; Doping Controversy Continues
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin 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: Rumors of Huawei’s demise were greatly exaggerated, and why sanctions may have focused PRC energy without achieving their intended goal. At the end: Quick reactions to Tuesday’s Politburo meeting, some very cautious optimism at Second Thomas Shoal, and surveying the PRC swimming controversy that came to light in April and continues to percolate this week in Paris.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Meloni in Beijing; Wang-Blinken meeting; Sierra Madre resupply; National Internet IDs; CSRC tasks for H2; TikTok — Sinocism
Wang Yi Meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken — MofA
Blinken and a Top Chinese Official in Talks on U.S.-China Tensions — New York Times
EU’s Borrell Disputes China’s Take on Meeting About Middle East — Bloomberg
The U.S. Wanted to Knock Down Huawei. It’s Only Getting Stronger. — Wall Street Journal
July Politburo meeting to analyze the current economic situation and set out priorities for the second half of this year — Sinocism
Philippines Performs First Sierra Madre Resupply Since Inking Deal with China — USNI News
Warning signs blinking over swimmers’ anger at alleged Chinese doping scandal ahead of Olympics — CNN
Moolenaar, Krishnamoorthi, Blackburn, Van Hollen Introduce the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act — China Select Committee
Chinese swimmers at Paris Olympics deny doping accusations as diplomatic row grows — NPR
China, Citing Tainted Burgers, Cleared Swimmers in a New Doping Dispute — New York TImes
Usain Bolt Ate 100 Chicken McNuggets a Day in Beijing and Somehow Won Three Gold Medals — Time Magazine
Kamala Harris’s China Record Contrasts with Trump Focus on Trade — Wall Street Journal
A Program for Progressive China Policy — Quincy Institute
ASML, Tokyo Electron Shielded From US Chip Export Rules, For Now — Bloomberg
Exclusive: New US rule on foreign chip equipment exports to China to exempt some allies — Reuters
14 min
July 24, 2024 (Preview) The Plenum Puzzles Outsiders; Xi Stays the Course; 'Deepening Reforms' to Western Journalism in China; Remembering the 2008 Olympics
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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 about goals and productive forces, and the external environment that serves as context for the party's priorities. From there: The party’s timeline for planning the plenum highlights the lack of leaks in the Xi era, and a reminder that trade tensions are unlikely to abate anytime soon. At the end: A variety of thoughts on news organizations and journalists navigating the environment in China and Hong Kong, and a few memories of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing before the Opening Ceremony in Paris this weekend.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
"Beijing Declaration" for Palestine; Plenum does not impress investors; Cleaning up financial sector; Biden rumors — Sinocism
Third Plenum Resolution and Xi's Explainer; MSS video; PRC-Philippines deal over Second Thoams Shoal resupply? — Sinocism
The lightness of Beijing’s third plenary — Finanical Times
Third Plenum Hot Takes: Skepticism and Concern — CSIS
News organizations undermine journalist groups, caving to Chinese pressure — Semafor
I pushed for press freedom in Hong Kong. The Wall Street Journal fired me. — Columbia Journalism Review
Code of Silence — Lingua Sinica
Bloomberg News Is Said to Curb Articles That Might Anger China — New York Times (2013)
Xi Jinping Millionaire Relations Reveal Elite Chinese Fortunes — Bloomberg (2012)
China’s Leaders Try to Impress and Reassure World — New York Times (2008)
Beijing Games to be costliest, but no debt legacy — Reuters (2008)
Bob Costas shares personal story on Beijing's playbook of repressing criticism — CNN
Full Opening Ceremony from Beijing 2008 — Olympics YouTube
12 min
July 19, 2024 (Preview) Parsing the Third Plenum Communique; Xi and the Rumor Mill; Trump on Taiwan; Biden and the Chip Status Quo
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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 health this week, and follow-up to the controversy surrounding edible oils. At the end: Reactions to President Trump's comments on Taiwan and America as an insurance company, and two stories on the state of the Biden chip policy.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Third Plenum communique; Disappointing or too early to tell?; Qin Gang may have a soft landing — Sinocism
Trump on Taiwan; PRC suspends arms control talks with US; More chip controls?; WSJ fires Selina Cheng; AI — Sinocism
Full text: Communique of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China — China Daily
China plenum vows reforms, accepts Qin Gang resignation — Nikkei Asia
Fact Check: Months-old photos of China’s Xi Jinping shared in July 2024 — Reuters
Intense Online Censorship Seeks to Dampen Scandal Over Unwashed Fuel Tankers Transporting Cooking Oil — China Digital Times
App that tracked fuel tankers in China used to transport cooking oil is disabled — The Guardian
The Donald Trump Interview Transcript — Bloomberg
US Floats Tougher Trade Rules to Rein In China Chip Industry — Bloomberg
Google, Microsoft Help Chinese Firms Skirt Ban on Nvidia Chips — The Information
As China boosts ties with Russia, Belarus, Europe ponders possible rising threat — SCMP
PRC DC Embassy on the political situation in Washington DC — Sinocism
14 min
July 10, 2024 (Preview) Prepping for the Third Plenum: Revisiting the Readout, Past Plenums, Common Prosperity, and Momentous Reforms (Or Not)
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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 not) try to address with reforms. At the end: A scandal over edible oils, the market for silicone masks, fierce competition in the bubble tea market, and checking in with Zach Edey.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Plenum Countdown; Orban in Beijing; Floods; PRC says "Volt Typhoon" a US op; Edible oil in fuel tankers — Sinocism
Xi promotes a general; Symposium on the economic situation; Another cyber warning; Edible oil mess; Plenum; Inequality — Sinocism
China Focus: 20th CPC Central Committee to hold 3rd plenary session in July — Xinhua
Yao Yang on the resilience of China's economy — The East is Read
What to expect at the Chinese Communist Party’s most important meeting of the year — Atlantic Council
China’s Top Bankers Are Embracing Xi Jinping Thought, Chinese Communist Party — Bloomberg
China to probe alleged use of fuel tanker trucks carrying cooking oil — Reuters
China Confronts an Insidious New Privacy Risk: Lifelike Silicone Masks — Sixth Tone
Milk Tea Craze Is Bringing Out All China’s Wrongs — Bloomberg
Zach Edey NBA Highlights — X: @NBA
14 min
June 26, 2024 A Conversation with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi on TikTok, Tech Investment, and Competition Between the U.S. and China
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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 email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
House Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale From Chinese Owner or Ban the App — New York Times
TikTok’s hearing from hell — Politico
How TikTok Was Blindsided by U.S. Bill That Could Ban It — Wall Street Journal
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
1 hr 3 min
June 21, 2024 (Preview) Philippines Tensions Near a Tipping Point; PLA Corruption Crackdown; Xi’s Message to the EU; A Pentagon Propaganda Campaign
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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 the U.S. will intervene, why China has ignored Vietnam’s buildup elsewhere in the Spratly Islands, and more. Then: Reports that Beijing has no preference between Biden or Trump in the upcoming U.S. election, the significance of the CMC Political Work Conference after a year of speculation about corruption throughout the PRC military, a report that Xi told EU leadership the U.S. wants China to invade Taiwan, reactions to a disturbing account of a Pentagon-backed propaganda campaign in the Philippines, and an email about Mount Everest.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Second Thomas Shoal; PLA rectification and political training; Tax; Moutai; Stock market; Ecuador — Sinocism
CMC Political Work Conference; Xi inspects Qinghai; Video from Second Thomas Shoal incident; Policy support for hard tech and venture capital — Sinocism
Video of Philippine Navy Confrontation with the Chinese Coast Guard on June 17, 2024 — X: @gmanews
US’ support for the Philippines is just psychological comfort — Global Times
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute — Financial Times
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute — Financial Times
China Has No Favorite in Biden-Trump Race, US Intelligence Finds — Bloomberg
Xi stresses PLA's political loyalty at crucial meeting held in old revolutionary base — Xinhua
How the Red Sun Rose — Columbia University Press
The Return of Peace Through Strength — Foreign Affairs
Xi Jinping claimed US wants China to attack Taiwan — Financial Times
Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic — Reuters
Myth of Mallory preserved in Everest's ice and snow — The Guardian
11 min
June 13, 2024 (Preview) The EU Increases EV Tariffs; US Teachers Attacked in Jilin; Xi Searches for Unicorns; A Question About Corruption
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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 City, 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.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
EU EV tariffs; Affordable housing; PLA rectification and political training; Russia-related sanctions; Third Plenum — Sinocism
Reform meeting; Jilin stabbings; PLA corruption; Wang Yi at BRICS Plus; Sanctions — Sinocism
European Union Hits E.V.s From China With Extra Tariffs Up to 38% — New York Times
EU to hit Chinese electric cars with tariffs of up to 48% — Financial Times
Ain’t No Duty High Enough — Rhodium Group
4 Instructors From Iowa College Are Attacked in Public Park in China — New York Times
The United States used to have cachet in China. Not anymore. — Washington Post
Xi Asks a Unicorn Question. Head-Scratching Follows. — Wall Street Journal
Apple’s top software engineer on AI: “We wanted to establish an entirely different bar” (Exclusive) — Fast Company
Exclusive: Fallen Chief of Bad-Asset Manager Had Tons of Cash — Literally — Caixin
A Second Ex-Huarong Executive Sentenced to Death Over Bribery — Bloomberg
China's Gilded Age: The Paradox of Economic Boom and Vast Corruption — Yuen Yuen Ang
In the Name of the People — YouTube
12 min
June 05, 2024 US-China Messaging in Singapore; New Quality Productive Forces; Putin and a Natural Gas Impasse; 35 Years After Tiananmen Square
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
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
Thread by Michael Pettis — X: @michaelxpettis
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 — Human Rights in China
Keeping the Memory of June Fourth Alive — Lingua Sinica
On the 35th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square — U.S. State Department
Giant pandas returning to DC’s National Zoo — Fox 5 DC
1 hr 4 min
May 22, 2024 (Preview) William Lai’s Inauguration; Real Estate Follow-Up; Q&A on Gold and EV Capacity; Fast Fashion on Saturday Night Live
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
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.
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
New Taiwan President; PRC reactions; Real estate; New bull market in Shanghai?; EU trade threa — Sinocism
"Pillar of shame" for Lai; Wang Yi at SCO; Gallagher sanctioned; XiAI; Guo Youcai; Ben Lim — Sinocism
Full text of President Lai Ching-te's inaugural address — Focus Taiwan
Mainland says Lai sends "dangerous signal" in speech as Taiwan's new leader — Xinhua
China has a point about Taiwan’s new leader — Financial Times
Thousands protest against contentious Taiwan parliament reforms — Reuters
Record number of Chinese ships enter Taiwan waters near Kinmen island — RFA
China's property support measures disappoint — Reuters
What China’s central bank and Costco shoppers have in common — The Economist
ASML and TSMC Can Disable Chip Machines If China Invades Taiwan — Bloomberg
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
China Has Gotten the Trade War It Deserves — The Atlantic
China Hints at Retaliation in Trade Clash With Europe — Bloomberg
China Says Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian Is Under Investigation — Bloomberg
China sanctions former Rep. Mike Gallagher, a fierce critic of Beijing — NBC News
Hudson’s Mike Gallagher’s Statement in Response to CCP Sanctions — The Hudson Institute
Fast Fashion Ad - SNL — YouTube: Saturday Night Live
11 min