Understanding China and how China impacts the world. Hosted by Andrew Sharp and Bill Bishop. sinocism.com
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October 13, 202613 min
Sharp China: Brussels and Beijing Make a Deal; Weak Holiday Spending Data; Xi's Reported Rest Breaks; Peak Dove?
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 extended survey of EU-PRC trade dynamics in the wake of an eventful week. Topics include: a deal on hybrid exports that may have averted a trade war, potential loopholes that may complicate the effectiveness of that reform, the tools proposed by France and Germany that may have forced a compromis…
October 1, 20261 hr 0 min
The Strategic Stalemate Era for the US and China; Xi Welcomes American Young People; Domestic Crackdowns and Economic Concerns
This episode of Sharp China is outside the paywall. Show Notes: On today’s show Andrew and Bill talk through Xi Jinping’s trip to Washington last week, including low expectations that were met, lots of pageantry in between, why both sides are incentivized to preserve stability for now, and how Mao Zedong’s writing on “strategic stalemate” may inform Xi’s understanding of the current moment. From there: A Taiwan weapons controversy, panda deliverables, and thoughts on Xi’s plan to recruit 100,000 young Americans to study in the PRC over the next five years. At the end: Shared language on Iran, limited progress on AI, trolling intrigue in the East Room and at the National Archives, new Bloomberg reporting on travel restrictions for AI talent and the continued tax crackdown, and more signals that the central government recognizes the economy is struggling. You can listen to the podcast in the app: Or click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. To subscribe to Sinocism, click here . To subscribe to Stratechery, click here . And if you enjoy this podcast please share it far and wide: Related Readings: Incremental policy support; Wang Yi’s message to Japan; Document sensitivities during Xi’s DC visit; Trump on China and AI/SI -- Sinocism US-China strategic stalemate; Premier Li signals Q4 economic support; More Nvidia chips for China?; PRC-Philippine tensions -- Sinocism Bessent says US, China trade truce extended by 2 months -- Politico China and the United States Reach Eight Deliverables and Understandings -- MoFA US and China agree $60bn low tariff regime for goods from foie gras to camels -- FT At Summit, Xi Sought to Tilt Trump’s Stance on America’s Place in Asia -- NYT Donald Trump asked Xi Jinping if China wanted to buy American weapons, US envoy says -- FT Potential Taiwan tension sparked ‘last minute’ change in Trump-Xi National Archives visit -- NPR Victor Hugo makes an appearance the State Dinner -- China Articles China’s first lady Peng Liyuan turns soft power on US audience -- Reuters China’s Tax Grab Squeezes Rich Elite Harder Than Ever -- Bloomberg China Broadens Travel Curbs to Encompass Family of Top AI Talent -- Bloomberg Who’s Ahead in the Global AI Talent Race? -- Carnegie China 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
September 23, 202613 min
Sharp China: Xi Jinping Comes to Washington; US-China Agenda, Questions and Expectations; The September Politburo Meeting
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com Show Notes: On today's show Andrew and Bill discuss Xi Jinping's visit to the United States and what to expect in Washington D.C. this week. First: Reactions to the meeting between Scott Bessent and He Lifeng in New York City Sunday, including outstanding questions about the "hotline" that was mooted for AI, details that remain fuzzy on the board of tra…
September 16, 202613 min
Sharp China: The Limited Potential for a Pacing Deal; MSS on PRC AI Risks; Distillation and Data Security; The Party's Approach to Social Media
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com Show Notes: On today’s show Andrew and Bill look at several dimensions of the PRC’s approach to AI. First: The various reasons a push for an agreement with U.S. labs to “pace” AI development is unlikely to bear fruit and the history of the CPC’s approach to control over technology. Then: The head of the MSS offers a view into CPC concerns around politic…
September 4, 202659 min
Sharp China: China's Global Strategy; Tragedy on the Nepal-Tibet Border; A 19-1 Vote at the G-20; TikTok Dodges Congress
This episode of Sharp China is outside the paywall. Show Notes: On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a perspective on PRC strategy under Xi, including what the party wants from global institutions, how the PRC differs from the U.S., and political security as a paramount priority. Then: Thoughts on the heartbreaking flood at the Nepal-Tibet border, including the party’s response, censorship and data sharing, and the realities of the geography in question. At the end: A raft of U.S.-China stories: the PRC scuppering a G20 joint communique, Anthropic and AI safety questions, notes before Xi’s visit in three weeks, waiting for better evidence that the PRC is shaping U.S. data center discourse, and TikTok dodges the China Select Committee. You can listen to the podcast in the app: Or click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. To subscribe to Sinocism, click here . To subscribe to Stratechery, click here . And if you enjoy this podcast please share it far and wide: Related Readings: Xi at the SCO; China’s global strategy; Li Qiang meets US business leaders; Taxing foreigners; Overseas guidelines for PRC automakers -- Sinocism The disaster in Nepal and Tibet; Xi at the SCO; Supporting consumption; National Defense Mobilization Law; Signals for PRC-US AI dialogue; New era for real estate -- Sinocism China’s Global Strategy under Xi Jinping -- Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung CLM Insights Interview with Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung -- CLM Correspondence: The Challenge of Studying What China Wants -- International Security Hit by deadly floods, Nepal renews push for Chinese data and early warnings -- Reuters Punishment and Silence: China Pulls Out the Disaster Playbook in Tibet -- NYT China-US Spat at G20 Largely Came Down to Dispute Over One Word -- Bloomberg Exclusive: Why China Regrets That This G20 Meeting Failed to Issue a Communiqué -- Yuyuan Tantian (Sinocism Translation) Anthropic Has Contracted the “American Disease” -- Yuyuan Tantian (Sinocism Translation) Trump plans state dinner for Xi even as disputes with China pile up -- MS NOW The X Safety team conducted an investigation into suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts involved in influence operations -- X Global Affairs Halt and Catch Ire -- Sharp Text TikTok Backs Out of House Meeting to Avoid Kids Safety Questions -- Bloomberg 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
August 27, 202611 min
Sharp China: Five US-China (and Russia) Questions; Cabbage with Formaldehyde; The Continuing Tax Crackdown; Unitree Stock Down 45%
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 a series of questions on the US and China, including a look at the likely toothless threats implied by Trump's "Economic D-Day" agenda, China's role or lack thereof in a breakdown between the US and Canada, questions about the next four weeks and four months of the relationship, and, unrelated to th…
August 20, 202659 min
Sharp China: Wang Yi Visits South Korea; Remembering Zhu Rongji; US-China Ahead of Xi's Visit; How China Monitors Foreigners
This episode of Sharp China is outside the paywall. Show Notes: On today's show Andrew and Bill with Wang Yi's visit to South Korea this week, including the fortunate timing for the PRC in the wake of President Trump's decision to scale back joint US-ROK exercises, PRC concerns around North Korea, and dynamics on the peninsula that are shifting in ways that aren't entirely clear. Then: Zhu Rongji's legacy, a week of nostalgia for the Zhu/Jiang era, and the uncertain future of the Linden Centre after a poignant Financial Times piece two weeks ago. At the end: Catching up on US-China news from the break, including thoughts and questions ahead of Xi's visit to D.C., a draft plan to make American AI partners choose between the US and China, China's continued reliance on Nvidia hardware, the White House highlights transshipment concerns, the DOW asks higher education for more info on foreign research, and an emailer who asks about the New York Times' reporting on PRC programs to surveil foreigners. To subscribe to Sinocism, click here . To subscribe to Stratechery, click here . You can listen to the podcast in the app: Or click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. And if you enjoy this podcast please share it far and wide: Related Readings: * Funeral for Zhu Rongji; Xi meets Ecuadorian President Noboa; Jiang Zemin; Housing provident fund; Consumption; What does China want? -- Sinocism * “Beidaihe Break” is over; Jiang Zemin’s 100th; RIP Zhu Rongji; US-China; July economic data; New Qiushi -- Sinocism * Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit Seoul as Lee floats multiparty talks on ending Korean War -- The Korea Herald * Wang Yi visits South Korea, pledges role in peninsula peace push -- Chosun Biz * Why China Worries About North Korea -- Foreign Affairs * Zhu Rongji, Chinese Premier Who Overhauled Economy, Dies -- Bloomberg * Why China Is Wistful for the 1990s -- Bloomberg * An American farewell to China -- FT * US to tell partners they must pick sides in AI race with China -- Reuters * China eases limits on Nvidia H200 chips as AI race escalates -- FT * China’s top AI is still trained on Nvidia chips. What is delaying a switch to local tech? -- SCMP * The Great Transshipment Scam -- White House * It Was a Great Scam While It Lasted -- NYT * Department of War Orders Research Security Audits at 30 Academic Institutions -- DOW on X * How China Keeps Tabs on Foreigners -- NYT * Sharp Eyes: Mass surveillance of foreigners in China - Part 1 -- NetAskari * The File: A Personal History -- Timothy Garton 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
July 30, 202614 min
A Memory-Maker Makes History; New Robot Rules; The Open Weights Debate Rages; End of July News and Notes
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 reactions to CXMT's IPO success this week, including responses from legislators in Washington and the stakes of Apple's continued lobbying fight to relax restrictions on US companies working with PRC memory firms. Then: The FCC announces rules restricting the import of new, foreign-made robots and power inverters in a move to curb security risks and fuel onshoring. From there: Surveying the ongoing debate over the future of open weights models, including disadvantages facing US-led open source AI efforts, MOFCOM's statement on distillation and Silicon Valley's support for Chinese open weights AI, and the risks of building atop PRC AI infrastructure. At the end: Expectations for the July Politburo meeting, news out of Iran that may threaten constructive strategic stability in advance of Xi's visit to D.C., a bad few weeks for Mercedes, and more clashes between the PRC and the Philippines. Related Readings: CXMT IPO; Taxing offshore assets; Fang Xinghai; US-China; AI; Lula supports China-Mercosur deal -- Sinocism Xi meets Slovak president; “Excess capacity” or “Overcapacity”?; CXMT IPO; Overseas Chinese affairs conference; Li Qiang in Tangshan; Chips and AI -- Sinocism Chip Maker Soars 466% on Debut to Become No. 1 in China Stock Market -- WSJ US lawmakers seek national security probe of Chinese chip giant CXMT after blockbuster IPO: ‘Ticking time bomb’ -- NY Post Trump Caught Between Apple and Micron in Fight Over Chinese Chips -- WSJ China’s CXMT Is Set to Challenge DRAM Incumbents -- Semi Analysis Trump administration bans new Chinese humanoid robots, to protect US AI buildout -- Reuters Cover Story: China’s AI-Driven Robotics Boom Faces IPO Reality Check -- Caixin Post by Peter Harrell -- X Spokesperson Responds to US Claims It Plans to Investigate and Sanction Chinese AI Companies -- Xinhua (Sinocism translation) Mark Zuckerberg says US should not ban Chinese AI -- FT Chinese AI Startup Moonshot Seeks More Nvidia Blackwell Chips for Next Model -- The Information Taiwan Says It Worked With US to Bust High-End Chip Smuggling -- Bloomberg The Hidden Cost of China’s Free A.I. -- NYT Iran to get Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems in weeks, sources say -- Reuters China in touch with Yemen’s Houthis to allow ships to sail through Red Sea, sources say -- Reuters Mercedes risks US sales ban under Senate China bill -- FT China coast guard uses water cannons on 2 Philippine vessels as top diplomats meet in Manila -- AP Philippines accuses Chinese coast guard of injuring Filipino sailor in disputed shoal -- AP Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to the Press -- State Department
July 21, 202614 min
Sharp China: Kimi Madness; Xi's AI Vision and US Questions; Trump's Election Data Claims; The Connected Vehicle Security Act
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com Show Notes: On today's show Andrew and Bill focus on the arrival of Moonshot's Kimi K3 model and the "DeepSeek 2.0 concerns" among investors and policymakers. Topics include: The incoherent U.S. approach to the open source AI ecosystem, levers the U.S. side could pull to thwart Chinese progress, and why the Trump Administration might be reluctant to take those steps. Then: Xi's keynote address at the World AI Conference, China's coherent messaging to the world, questions about infrastructure in the Global South, and the needle the U.S. could thread with open source policy. At the end: Trump's claims of "an unprecedented election security nightmare" at the hands of the PRC, the Connected Vehicle Security Act heads to mark-up this week, Neville Roy Singham is under investigation, and Rep. John Moolenaar urges the NBA to look closer at Brooklyn Nets owner—and Alibaba Chairman—Joe Tsai.
July 16, 202615 min
Sharp China: K-Shaped Economic Data And Its Implications; Ma Xingrui News; Closing Window for Open Source AI?; The SCS and International Law
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today’s show, Andrew and Bill begin by parsing the economic data released by the PRC this week, including slower-than-expected growth, the Party’s response to the status quo, export-powered growth that is widening trade imbalances, and the questions all of this will raise for foreign policymakers. From there: The Party's findings on Ma Xingrui, questions that remain unanswered, and cadre risk aversion for the next 18 months. Then: PRC messaging around openness in AI, an ongoing U.S. debate over open-source AI models, three chip bills that may end up in the NDAA, and the continued adventures in China policy on Capitol Hill. At the end: Reflections on the 10th anniversary of The Hague ruling on the PRC’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, as well as the state of play today.
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