Sharp China with Bill Bishop (Preview) Made in China 2025 and What Comes Next; EV Price Wars; The EU and Its China Dilemmas; Xi and His Rivals
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May 29, 2025 The discussion kicks off with the ambitious Made in China 2025 strategy and its implications for the future. Electric vehicle competition heats up, hinting at a fierce market battle ahead. The EU's plans to collaborate with the US on China policies are unveiled, revealing the challenges of forming a unified front. Meanwhile, espionage warnings from the MSS and hacking accusations against Czechia add tension. The dynamics of factional politics within the Chinese Communist Party also come into focus, hinting at possible rivalries and challenges faced by Xi Jinping.
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Xi's Power Over CCP Factions
- Xi Jinping has effectively neutered major CCP factions like the Communist Youth League and Shanghai groups through corruption crackdowns and demotion of key figures.
- These dominant factions from past decades no longer play significant roles under Xi's centralized power.
Brutal Power Consolidation in CCP
- Xi consolidates power by arresting, demoting officials, and pressuring retired leaders to stay silent.
- The CCP system is extremely competitive and brutal, with high stakes for political survival.
Emerging Informal CCP Factions
- Although overt rival factions are erased, informal factionalism still exists tied to regions like Fujian and Shandong.
- Elite politics remain competitive with patrons and supporters jockeying for advancement under an opaque system.