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 On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Trump raising tariffs on the PRC by 10%, the PRC's response, and the phone call Xi-Trump phone call that was rumored a month ago but still hasn't happened. Then: What to watch for during Two Sessions week, Xi has always supported private enterprises, a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on fentanyl, and why the U.S. focusing on domestic enforcement only goes far. From there: A roundup of news on chips, including an investigation in Singapore, TSMC's investment in the United States, a Wall Street Journal report on Nvidia, and questions facing the Trump team as new policy takes shape. At the end: The New York Times reports on "plea leniency," FIFA won't play ball with the PRC, and a variety of Moutai thoughts as Kweichow Moutai struggles to find demand. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube US Tariffs; Two Sessions; Xi has always supported private enterprises; Peaceful China Initiative; Chips — Sinocism Response to US tariffs; Two Sessions begin; DeepSeek — Sinocism FURTHER AMENDMENT TO DUTIES ADDRESSING THE SYNTHETIC OPIOID SUPPLY CHAIN IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA — The White House Xi Leaves Door Open for Talks With Measured Response to Trump — Bloomberg Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — MoFA on Twitter BlackRock to buy Panama Canal ports after pressure from Donald Trump — Financial Times Canadian Police Say They Dismantled Country’s Largest Drug Lab — New York Times How Dirty Money From Fentanyl Sales Is Flowing Through China — Wall Street Journal Chinese Buyers Are Ordering Nvidia’s Newest AI Chips, Defying U.S. Curbs — Wall Street Journal Singapore Probes Potential Fraud in Nvidia AI Chip Shipments — Bloomberg Cover Story: DeepSeek Sets Up Race for Chinese Dominance in AI — Caixin Trump, Chip Maker TSMC Announce $100 Billion Investment in U.S. — Wall Street Journal The ‘Leniency’ Trap: How China’s Plea System Gives Prosecutors More Power — New York Times China’s tech minister removed from office — Financial Times Ebbing demand for China's favourite firewater adds to debt concerns — Reuters The Patrón of Xinghuacun - a modest proposal for Fenjiu — Moatless Musings Xi Jiu, A Baijiu Bet on Xi Jinping — Sinocism

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 Document #1; Xi-Putin call; US trade and investment pressure on the PRC; AI development — Sinocism Trump's recent hawkish moves on China policies and personnel — Sinocism America First Investment Policy — The White House China hawk picked for key US Commerce Dept job — Reuters Trump administration pushes out top China export policy official, sources say — Reuters Trump Team Seeking to Toughen Biden’s Chip Controls Over China — Bloomberg AI Promise and Chip Precariousness — Stratechery As Trump Courts Putin, China’s Leader Xi Emphasizes Close Ties With Russia — New York Times Putin, Xi Reaffirm Ties on Anniversary of Ukraine War — Wall Street Journal Taiwan detains Chinese-crewed ship suspected of cutting undersea cable — CNN NZ defence minister warns of 'extremely capable' Chinese warships in Tasman Sea — ABC Trump Team Seeks to Toughen Biden’s Chip Controls Over China — Bloomberg Chinese Companies’ New Tactic to Stop Damaging Research: Legal Threats — New York Times A newly opened basketball court in Beijing, transformed from the former cooling towers of Capital Steel and Iron Company. — China in Pictures on X

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 On today’s special crossover Sharp Tech/Sharp China episode, Ben Thompson and Bill Bishop discuss the private enterprise symposium and Xi Jinping's rapprochement with China's tech companies, and the connection between xAI and DeepSeek. Then, an extended debate on the chip ban, including its potential long-term consequences, and whether or not a course correction is possible. Finally, why the situation surround Taiwan is worrisome, and whether Trump is looking to make a deal. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Xi convenes private enterprise symposium; Wang Yi in Munich; Taiwan; Tesla FSD and US-China trade — Sinocism DeepSeek FAQ — Stratechery Grok-3, The Nvidia Shortcut, Competitive Implications — Stratechery Update The ZTE Ban, Tech’s Trade War Risk, China’s Delayed Approval and Apple’s Pain — Stratechery Update

Tariffs on Chinese goods spark a complex trade confrontation, intertwining with the fentanyl crisis's global implications. The conversation shifts to China’s investments in the strategically vital Panama Canal, highlighting its influence in Latin America. Meanwhile, Google and Apple find themselves under scrutiny from Chinese regulators, raising questions about competition and market dynamics. Finally, the hosts throw in some lighthearted Super Bowl predictions, blending serious analysis with playful banter.

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 On today’s show Andrew and Bill wish a Happy Lunar New Year to the audience and interrupt the holiday week in the PRC to share various reactions to a week of DeepSeek discussion in the U.S. Topics include: The DeepSeek origin story, OpenAI and distillation questions, DeepSeek’s future in China after Liang Wenfeng’s meeting with Li Qiang, how the U.S. government might process these developments, and a dizzying spectrum of reactions from all around the Internet. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Microsoft Probing If DeepSeek-Linked Group Improperly Obtained OpenAI Data — Bloomberg America First Trade Policy — White House DeepSeek part 1: How new labor practices propelled an unknown AI firm to the top — Value Added DeepSeek part 2: An Outlier in China’s AI Innovation Ecosystem — Value Added On DeepSeek and Export Controls — Dario Amodei DeepSeek FAQ — Stratechery Trump Officials Discuss Tighter Curbs on Nvidia China Sales — Bloomberg

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 Xi visits Shenyang; Regulators discuss measures to help capital markets; A TikTok deal “short of divestiture”?; “Anesthetics Not anesthetizing and laxatives not laxating” — Sinocism Xi in Liaoning; New plan to get long-term capital into the markets; Trump threatens 10% tariffs; TikTok; Dear Li Hua; Fukushima — Sinocism APPLICATION OF PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM FOREIGN ADVERSARY CONTROLLED APPLICATIONS ACT TO TIKTOK — White House Trump says he’s open to TikTok sale to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison — CNBC Donald Trump says China tariffs could hinge on TikTok deal — FT Trump says he’s considering a 10% tariff on China beginning as soon as Feb. 1 — CNBC US lawmakers seek to end China's special trade status, import duty exemption — Reuters One Weapon China Is Reluctant to Deploy Against Tariffs: A Weaker Currency — WSJ Taiwan reports unprecedented undersea cable damage this year — Nikkei Asia Taiwan lawmakers risk alienating Donald Trump with defence funds freeze — FT Wars and Rumors of Wars — N.Y. Times China Welcomes Back Hollywood Movies in Bid to Boost Spending — Bloomberg Shanghai’s old cinemas tell of a power reversal between China and Hollywood — L.A. Times

A deep dive into the recent Supreme Court ruling on TikTok unfolds in a lively discussion. The hosts explore the app's legal challenges amid national security concerns and the potential financial fallout. Political maneuvers and strategic partnerships highlight TikTok's navigation through the U.S. system. The possibility of divestiture raises questions about future ownership and antitrust issues. Engaging listener comments reveal the app's chaotic evolution, emphasizing the complex relationship between social media and governance.

Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year. Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism On today’s show Bill and Andrew begin with multiple reports that Chinese officials have considered working with Elon Musk to find a resolution for TikTok in the U.S., while TikTok‘s users have flocked to Xiaohongshu and inspired a few more questions for the future. Then: Parsing Xi Jinping’s speech in the first 2025 issue of Qiushi, why both the substance of his message and his audience heighten concerns, and reactions to a new fleet of barges in Guangzhou that could factor into the PRC’s plans for Taiwan. At the end: U.S.-China updates, including a final rule from the U.S. on connected vehicles, proposed rules on AI chips, more alarms being sounded on PRC hacking, looming tech bro fissures, and the emissary from the PRC who may attend next week’s presidential inauguration. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube RMB signaling; Trade surplus; New US AI export rules; TikTok to become XTok? — Sinocism Xi chats with European Council President Antonio Costa; US rule on connected vehicles; RMB talk; Supply chain binding; TikTok — Sinocism China Weighs Sale of TikTok US to Musk as a Possible Option — Bloomberg China discussing using Elon Musk as broker in TikTok deal — Financial Times China Officials Discuss Option of TikTok Sale to Elon Musk — Wall Street Journal US netizens calling themselves ‘TikTok refugees’ migrate to Chinese social media app ahead of US Supreme Court ruling — Global Times TikTok crisis builds unlikely ‘cyberspace bridge’ between US and China — Semafor Xi in Qiushi - Comprehensively Advancing the Building of a Strong Country and the Great Cause of National Rejuvenation Through Chinese Modernization — Sinocism China’s Trade Surplus Reaches a Record of Nearly $1 Trillion — New York Times China Suddenly Building Fleet Of Special Barges Suitable For Taiwan Landings — Naval News Post by John Culver — John Culver on X Commerce Finalizes Rule to Secure Connected Vehicle Supply Chains from Foreign Adversary Threats — BIS U.S. Targets China With New AI Curbs, Overriding Nvidia’s Objections — Wall Street Journal Former FBI Director Chris Way on 60 Minutes — Face the Nation on X How Chinese Hackers Graduated From Clumsy Corporate Thieves to Military Weapons — WSJ Jan. 6, 2025: Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play In The Snow — YouTube

Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year. Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism On a bonus episode following up on Wednesday morning's show, Andrew and Bill react to the news—which broke later Wednesday morning—that the Supreme Court has granted cert to TikTok in its appeal of the D.C. Circuit's decision earlier this month upholding the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Topics include: A bit more hope for TikTok, revisiting the D.C. Circuit’s answer to the First Amendment question that’s now before the Supreme Court, various Trump unknowns, and a busy holiday season for Jones Day associates. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Supreme Court Fast-Tracks TikTok Case in Face of Jan. 19 Deadline — New York Times TIKTOK INC. AND BYTEDANCE LTD v. MERRICK GARLAND — D.C. Circuit

Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year. Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with a few updates on the Central Economic Work Conference, economic headwinds facing the PRC economy, including weaker-than-expected retail data, mixed data from the real estate market, and concerns from an economist assessing the conditions on the ground. From there: Reactions to last week's PLA exercises around Taiwan, divergent reactions from policymakers in Taipei and Washington, and a new report on the process behind the Biden Administration's latest round of updates to the semiconductor export controls. At the end: President-elect Trump on his relationship with Xi Jinping, TikTok takes its case to the Supreme Court, and the NBA (sort of) announces plans for a series of preseason games in Macau. To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube China Consumer Slowdown Shows Urgent Need to Encourage Spending — Bloomberg Prices Won’t Stop Falling in China, and Beijing Is Grasping for Solutions — Wall Street Journal China's 2024 property sales on course to reach just half the peak — Nikkei A top Chinese economist just said what many people suspected: China's official GDP numbers may not be accurate — Business Insider Big Chinese naval exercise leaves Taiwan and US struggling for response — Financial Times How U.S. Firms Battled a Government Crackdown to Keep Tech Sales to China — New York Times An Interview with Gregory Allen About the State of China Chip Export Controls — Stratechery Interview President-elect Donald Trump delivers remarks — CNBC YouTube TikTok Asks Supreme Court to Block Law Banning Its U.S. Operations — New York Times New trade hawk on the block — Politico Real Estate: Bret Baier Home Listed for a Record $32 Million — The Georgetowner NBA to return to China with multiyear deal in Macau — Reuters