Desmond Shum is the former husband of arrested Chinese billionaire "Whitney" Duan Weihong and the author of Red Roulette: An Insider’s Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in Today’s China. What We Discuss with Desmond Shum: Why Desmond's intellectual schoolteacher parents were treated as undesirables by the CCP, and how this led to his family's self-exile to then-British Hong Kong when he was 10. What the CCP does to keep evidence of events like the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre out of the public eye -- and what Desmond's impression of this particular event was like. How the economic necessity of corruption to make business sustainable under the watchful eye of the CCP is used as a bargaining chip to keep the operators of these businesses in line. The path that led Desmond and his wife Whitney to the inner circle of the CCP and allowed them to make billions with the government's blessing -- and the amount of work that went into maintaining the network that allowed this to continue. The circumstances of Whitney's disappearance, and the eerie phone call he received from her four years later urging him not to publish his tell-all book. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/684 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Missed our conversation with Annie Duke — World Series poker champion and author of Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts? Catch up by listening to episode 40: Annie Duke | How to Make Decisions Like a Poker Champ here! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Desmond Shum, author of the memoir Red Roulette and commentator on Chinese politics, delves into his harrowing experience as a successful businessman in China before his wife Whitney Duan's mysterious disappearance in 2017. He shares insights on the intricate power struggles within the Chinese Communist Party, the chilling effects of government corruption, and the brutal reality of Xi Jinping's political landscape. Shum also critiques the accuracy of China's economic growth reports and discusses the increasing risks faced by those who dare to speak out against the regime.

Desmond Shum, an author and commentator on Chinese politics, shares his gripping story after his wife, Whitney Duan, vanished in 2017 amid a power struggle involving Xi Jinping. He reflects on their lavish life in the early 2000s, intertwined with China's elite, revealing the shocking reality of corruption and political intrigue. Shum discusses the erosion of China’s economic trajectory under Xi's rule and the skepticism surrounding the country's GDP figures. This candid conversation highlights the interplay between personal tragedy and the political landscape of a repressive regime.

Desmond Shum, Chinese property tycoon and multi-millionaire, shares his extraordinary account of business life in China, including the abduction of his ex-wife by the Chinese state. He discusses the rotten state of the current Chinese economy and the role of political approvals and corruption in business growth. The podcast also explores corruption, privileged lifestyles of senior party officials, and the impact of publishing his book 'Red Roulette' on China.

Desmond Shum, a former insider of China's political apparatus, shares his experiences climbing the peak of China's elite and fleeing before being disappeared. Topics include dealing with abuse and the Chinese caste system, leveraging status and vanity, navigating China's politics, corruption and guanxi, dynastic wealth, publishing a book, and discussing Jack Ma. The podcast also covers topics such as how rich Chinese hide their money, fallout after publishing a book, the influence of wealthy Chinese in Australia, and the dire outlook in China.