
China Tech Investor
The China Tech Investor podcast is a weekly show featuring Elliott Zaagman, writer and contributor to TechNode, and James Hull, a professional investor.
Each week, the two look at their watchlist and talk about what's happening with listed Chinese tech companies
Latest episodes

Apr 30, 2020 • 54min
54: After Luckin, fraud will still be a problem. With Wei Sheng
An episode full of salacious scandals and controversy! In this episode, the guys welcome back Technode’s own Wei Sheng to discuss a recent lawsuit filed against Luckin Coffee in China, and how regulators are cracking down on the company since their admission of fraud. James and Elliott also discuss the controversy brewing between Meituan and their vendors, Pinduoduo’s recent moves, and the scandalous love affair involving some of the biggest names in the Alibaba ecosystem. Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeLinksMeituanJiang Fan/RUHN scandalPinduoduoGuest:Wei Sheng – @weishengnHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Apr 22, 2020 • 1h 5min
53: How COVID-19 is a 'new retail' tipping point, with Michael Zakkour
In this episode, the guys welcome back Michael Zakkour, Founder and Chief Strategist of 5 New Digital. They discuss how the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic have spurred a leap forward in ecommerce and new retail in both China and the US, and which firms are positioned to benefit. James and Elliott also look at Meituan’s earnings, as well as recent short-report allegations of iQiyi. Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin Coffee Guest:Michael Zakkour – @michaelzakkourHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Apr 7, 2020 • 57min
52: Luckin - The writing was on the wall with Michael Norris
In this episode, the guys bring on CTI regular Michael Norris to discuss Luckin Coffee’s recent admission of fraud. Michael was an early skeptic of Luckin, identifying potential red flags around the company in the spring of 2019. Michael, James, and Elliott discuss the timeline for Luckin leading up to this admission, and what the potential fallout could be.Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeGuest:Michael Norris – @BriefnorrisHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Mar 26, 2020 • 1h 11min
51: Tencent, JD, PDD earnings, and Jeffrey Towson discusses the battle royale for services.
In this episode, the guys welcome professor Jeffrey Towson to discuss the ongoing battle over the digital services sector in China, as Alibaba, Meituan, Baidu, and others fight on a rapidly-changing battlefield. James and Elliott also chat about the “COVID recession,” investment strategies, and go over the quarterly earnings of Tencent, Pinduoduo, and JD. Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeLinks:Jeff's Asia Tech Class podcastGuest:Jeffrey Towson – Jefftowson.comHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Mar 4, 2020 • 1h 15min
50: The coronavirus sell-off, and earnings from Alibaba, Baidu, and iQiyi
In this episode, the guys welcome back guest co-host Michael Norris from Agency China. The three of them discuss markets’ sudden and dramatic correction and strategies for coping with such dramatically negative market sentiment. They also go over the recently-reported Q4 earnings reports from Alibaba, Baidu, and iQiyi.Subscribe to TechNodePlease note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeGuest:Michael Norris - @briefnorrisHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Feb 26, 2020 • 50min
49: Huawei, Google, and the “splinternet,” with Wei Sheng
In this episode, the guys welcome Technode’s Wei Sheng to discuss the continued US-China tech decoupling, and how Huawei is attempting to succeed in Europe without access to Google Play services. James and Elliott also look at how the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has impacted China’s tech giants thus far.Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeLinks:TechNode NewslettersHuawei coverage on TechNodeGuest:Wei Sheng - @weishengn,Hosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Feb 6, 2020 • 46min
48: The coronavirus ripple effect, with Marcus Ryder
China Tech Investor is a weekly look at China’s tech companies through the lens of investment. Each week, hosts Elliott Zaagman and James Hull go through their watch list of publicly listed tech companies and also interview experts on issues affecting the macroeconomy and the stock prices of China’s tech companies.Make sure you don’t miss anything. Check out our lineup of China tech podcastsIn this episode, the guys welcome on veteran media executive and Caixin Global executive producer Marcus Ryder to discuss the massive ripple effect of the Wuhan coronavirus on China’s economy and tech industry. They try to get a grip on the many ways that the outbreak is shaking up our assumptions about the Chinese economy, markets, and tech space in the first quarter of 2020.Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin Coffee Guest:Marcus Ryder - @marcusryderHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Jan 17, 2020 • 56min
47: Xiaomi, 5G, Bytedance, and other “incredible” predictions for 2020, with Wang Boyuan
In this episode, the guys welcome veteran China tech journalist Wang Boyuan to the show. They make some bold and not-so-bold predictions for China’s digital economy in 2020, including what we can expect from Xiaomi, Bilibili, Bytedance, JD, and the continued rollout of 5G. James and Elliott also talk about surging Chinese tech stocks at the moment, and strategies for managing your portfolio amidst a bull market.Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeGuest:Wang Boyuan - @thisboyuanHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Jan 8, 2020 • 1h 4min
46: 2019’s biggest winners and losers, and what to expect for 2020
China Tech Investor is a weekly look at China’s tech companies through the lens of investment. Each week, hosts Elliott Zaagman and James Hull go through their watch list of publicly listed tech companies and also interview experts on issues affecting the macroeconomy and the stock prices of China’s tech companies.Make sure you don’t miss anything. Check out our lineup of China tech podcasts.Happy New Year! In this episode, the guys look over their watch list and discuss the biggest winners and losers of 2019. They also make a few bold predictions about what to expect in 2020 for the biggest names in China tech.Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-DianpingLuckin CoffeeHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music

Dec 25, 2019 • 57min
45: Boom, bust, and competition: Electric vehicles in China, with Tu Le
In this episode, the guys welcome Tu Le, Managing Director of Sino Auto Insights, to discuss China’s dynamic electric vehicle and automotive industry. Tu explains how an investment bubble and generous government subsidies led to an explosion in EV startups, but how as the money has dried up, these firms are now under intense pressure to prove that they can actually compete with the large international automakers. Please note, the hosts may have interest in some of the stocks discussed. The discussion should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation of services.Get the PDF of the China Consumer Index.Watchlist:TencentAlibabaBaiduiQiyiXiaomiJDPinduoduoMeituan-Dianping GuestTu Le - @sinoautoinsightHosts:Elliott Zaagman– @elliottzaagmanJames Hull– @jameshullxEditorPeter IsachenkoPodcast information:iTunesSpotifyRSS FeedMusic: “Hey Ho” by Steve Jackson, Royalty Free Music