On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with comments from Xi Jinping and renewed emphasis on building more rational marketplaces across key sectors in tech and beyond. Topics include: The implication that not every province has to participate in new growth areas, cadres parsing conflicting guidance from Beijing, and efforts to stimulate a healthy investment ecosystem for startups as U.S. venture investment recedes. From there: Thoughts on two high-profile exit-bans on American citizens traveling in China, why the two cases are different, more chatter that the Trump administration is softening on China, counterpoints to that argument, and a bit more news on "The Big Tariff," Yang Hansen.

Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.

Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism

To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm

@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube

@Stratechery Channel — YouTube

PLA to try again to eliminate "toxic influences"; Tibet dam project; Involution; Trump’s softening approach to China; More Americans exit banned — Sinocism

PLA Daily on political cadres; EU-China summit expectations; US-China talks next week; Lab-grown diamonds — Sinocism

Life Atop China’s Car Market Starting to Look Shaky for BYD — Bloomberg

Cover Story: A New Gold Rush Begins in China’s Hard Tech Sector — Caixin

China VC Funds Tap Global Investors for $2 Billion in Comeback — Bloomberg

U.S.-Based Wells Fargo Banker Blocked From Leaving China — Wall Street Journal

U.S. citizen who works for Commerce Dept. ensnared in Chinese exit ban — Washington Post

Chinese Officers Questioned U.S. Government Employee About His Army Service — New York Times

China says Wells Fargo banker under exit ban is involved in criminal case — Reuters

Post by Desmond Shum — X: @DesmondShum

As Trump Courts a More Assertive Beijing, China Hawks Are Losing Out — New York Times

Navigating the President’s Policy Whiplash on China — Wall Street Journal

No joke: Chinese rookie Yang Hansen is the NBA’s biggest summer star — Washington Post

‘ComEd 4’ Found Guilty. Here’s How Their Corruption Affected Your Rates