China Insider China Insider | Gen Z Protests in Nepal, US-China Trade Talks, and China's Great Firewall Data Breach
Sep 16, 2025
This week’s discussion highlights the inspiring anti-corruption protests in Nepal, led by Gen Z, that successfully ousted a long-standing Prime Minister. The conversation then shifts to the U.S.-China trade talks, focusing on strategic negotiations involving TikTok and tariffs on Russian oil. Finally, a major data breach reveals the extent of China’s oppressive Great Firewall and its implications for global censorship and surveillance technologies. The interplay of social movements and geopolitical tensions takes center stage.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Gen Z Reacts Viscerally To Social Bans
- Gen Z's fluency with social media makes online restrictions likely to provoke large, rapid uprisings.
- Miles Yu argues Nepal's ban on platforms sparked a youth-led movement that toppled the government.
China's Subtle Levers In Nepal
- China exerts influence in Nepal via security ties and Belt and Road lending rather than overt control.
- Yu warns BRI loans often create debt-dependency that grants Beijing leverage over recipient states.
Historical Examples Of China Ties Causing Backlash
- Miles recounts historical examples where close ties with Beijing coincided with domestic political fallout abroad.
- He cites East Germany and others to illustrate how visible China links can destabilize regimes.