Sharp China Podcast

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today's show Andrew and Bill reunite for their first podcast in nearly a month, beginning with takeaways from Brazilian President Lula da Silva's visit to Beijing, the rumored call from Xi to Zelensky that still hasn't happened, and reactions to French President Emmanuel Macron's comments on Europe and Taiwan. From there...

On today’s show guest host Ben Thompson ( Stratechery ) and Bill begin with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and discuss China's reaction and the mood on the ground in Taiwan as it approaches a Presidential Election. Later: a discussion on Warren Buffett's comments about TSMC and China's proposed rules for AI. As per our custom, this first episode of...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin withXi Jinping’s visit to Moscow and a week of news about deepening ties between China and Russia. Topics include: The recent inversion of the Russia-China relationship, concerns about what a Xi-Putin union means for the rest of the world, and more signs that a much broader project is u...

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 news that Saudi Arabia and Iran have reestablished diplomatic relations in a deal that was mediated by China, and announced in Beijing last week. Then: A report that Xi could visit Russia as early as next week, a second report that he will be making his first call to Zelenskyy...

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 first few days of the Two Sessions and what to make of the messages sent by Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Qin Gang. Then: Reactions to a few recent columns expressing concern at the bipartisan consensus in DC, a new plan for Chinese data, and the draft budget provides more si...

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to the PRC’s 12-point plan for a peaceful settlement of the Russian war in Ukraine, including why feigning neutrality fell flat with the international community, continued warnings from U.S. officials regarding weapons assistance, and a visit to Beijing from Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. From there: the Central Party Committee and S...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with reaction to the meeting between Wang Yi and Anthony Blinken in Munich last weekend, including competing readouts that signal continued tension between the U.S. and China, other statements weekend that underscore Chinese frustrations, and what to look for from both sides in the mont...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today's show Bill and Andrew begin with the continuing reactions to the balloon controversy, including rumors of a Blinken-Wang Yi meeting in Munich, last weekend’s new foreign object sightings, China’s story of a flying object outside Qingdao, and reports that U.S. officials believe that the initial balloon did, in fact...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with a few reactions to Joe Biden’s comments about China in Tuesday’s State of the Union address. From there: several days of outsized reaction around Washington, mounting calls for even stronger American responses to China’s ambitions, and stress-testing the theory that last week’s bal...

This special, short episode is outside the paywall. On today's show Andrew and Bill reconvene for an emergency episode to share their reactions to the news that the Pentagon is tracking a Chinese reconnaissance balloon across the U.S., the statements coming from both the Pentagon and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the news that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has canceled his trip to Beij...

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a variety of thoughts in advance of next week's visit to Beijing from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Topics include: Why cooperation has proven difficult for both sides, hopes that the U.S. can avoid a repeat of Yang Jiechi in Anchorage, an editorial in the People's Daily, and extended thoughts on domestic political concerns underlying the intractabl...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with news of a jinx on last week's show and recommendations for new China watchers. Topics include Bill's lessons from living in China, Andrew's experience as a newcomer, and ten China watching commandments from the legendary editor of China News Analysis, László Ladány. From there: Che...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with thoughts on the change in tone from government officials addressing private business, changes it might signify in the short term, and concerns it may not assuage in the long term. From there: the news of a deepened strategic alliance between the US and Japan, why Beijing is outrage...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On today's show Andrew and Bill begin by talking through the latest news on the reopening, including reciprocal travel restrictions imposed on South Korea and Japan, Paxlovid price disputes, and continued uncertainty about case counts. From there: Xie Feng as the likely replacement for Qin Gang in D.C., Zhao Lijan's demotio...

On today's show Andrew and Bill reunite after the holiday break and begin with the continued reopening process around China. Topics include: the tragedy of the past several weeks, calls for more transparency from the CCP, dubious testing requirements for Chinese travelers, the government reportedly pressing pause on some of its chip investments, and why it may take a few months before reopening yi...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com On this week's show Andrew and Bill begin with the landscape in China one week after the widespread elimination of covid restrictions. Topics include: Early reports from Beijing and other major cities, best and worst case scenarios for case numbers, what Westerners can and can’t know, and how this process (and the protests)...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm Reopening; Shifting the Covid messaging; Jiang Zemin; CEWC; Saudi Arabia — Sinocism Reopening; Jiang Zemin; Xi to Saudi Arabia; TikTok — Sinocism Rocky road to re-opening; Downplaying Omicron; Jiang Zemin, Xi meets Michel; Zhao Lijian — Sinocism 60 Minutes Archives: An interview with C...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit sinocism.com We recorded this episode Tuesday afternoon DC time, and at the end we discuss what might happen when Jiang Zemin died, given the recent rumors, but before the official announcement today that he has passed. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm Covid; PCR testing troubles; Protests and cracking down; Huawei -- Sinocism Pro...

COVID lockdowns at Foxconn and elsewhere in China, a survey of the near-daily rumors of a looming policy change, glimpses of what these policies have meant for Chinese citizens, and reactions to the latest report seeking clarity as to COVID-19’s origins.  To listen the full episode go to https://sinocism.com/s/sharpchina *** To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm *** Rumors of change in Covid poli...

COVID lockdowns at Foxconn and elsewhere in China, a survey of the near-daily rumors of a looming policy change, glimpses of what these policies have meant for Chinese citizens, and reactions to the latest report seeking clarity as to COVID-19’s origins.  To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm *** Rumors of change in Covid policies; Lockdowns; Two Establishes 两个确立 vs. Two Upholds 两个维护 — [...