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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism

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.

To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm

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National Security Day; Nine guidelines for capital markets; Scholz in China; PRC on Iran attack; TikTok — Sinocism

Q1 GDP; Xi-Scholz; National Security; Microsoft and G42; Donkeys — Sinocism

Olaf Scholz joins TikTok with a pledge: ‘I won’t dance’ — Politico

@teambundeskanzler — TikTok

Scholz wants Xi to stop Russia’s war. Xi wants Europe to stop trade war. — Politico

Why Germany's Scholz is bowing to the Chinese dragon — Politico

Post by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz — X: @Bundeskanzler

US says China is supplying missile and drone engines to Russia — Financial Times

China’s economy expands by a surprisingly strong pace in the first quarter of 2024 — CNN

Biden’s options for retaliating against Iran risk antagonizing China — Washington Post

China reveals it executed scientist for spying in 2016 in documentary about ‘shocking’ cases — SCMP

How it feels to live under surveillance by China — The Saturday Paper

Powerful Senator Crafts TikTok Crackdown — Wall Street Journal

Some ex-TikTok employees say the social media service worked closely with its China-based parent despite claims of independence — Fortune