

Sharp China with Bill Bishop
Andrew Sharp and Sinocism’s Bill Bishop
Understanding China and how China impacts the world. Hosted by Andrew Sharp and Bill Bishop.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 26, 2025 • 12min
(Preview) Trump's Memorandum on Foreign Investment; 'Reverse Nixon' Realities; Document #1; PLA Drills in the Tasman Sea
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

Feb 19, 2025 • 16min
(Preview) Xi Jinping and China's Tech Companies, The Long-Run Implications of the Chip Ban, and a Pessimistic Outlook for Taiwan
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

8 snips
Feb 6, 2025 • 1h 6min
The Tariff Tit-for-Tat Begins; The PRC and the Panama Canal; Apple and Google in China; DeepSeek One Week Later
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.

Jan 30, 2025 • 10min
(Preview) Happy Lunar New Year and A Few Thoughts on DeepSeek
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

Jan 24, 2025 • 16min
(Preview) The TikTok Fiasco Continues; Breathing Room on Tariffs; The RMB Calculus; Notes on Taiwan and Hollywood
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

Jan 17, 2025 • 34min
Bonus Episode: A TikTok Verdict and Lots of Questions on Substack Live
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.

Jan 15, 2025 • 1h 3min
TikTok and Musk and Xiaohongshu; Xi’s Speech To Top Leaders; New PLA Capabilities for Taiwan; Proposed AI Controls and Continued Hacking Concerns
The charisma of TikTok meets the potential of Xiaohongshu as users shift platforms amid political tensions. Elon Musk's discussed role in TikTok's future raises eyebrows while Xi Jinping's latest speech reveals China's aspirations for national rejuvenation. The evolving PLA capabilities towards Taiwan signal strategic ambitions, all while the U.S. tightens AI export controls in response to China's growing tech prowess. As diplomatic nuances emerge, the podcast offers a colorful blend of serious analysis and lighthearted banter.

Dec 18, 2024 • 17min
Bonus Episode: TikTok Gets a Hearing at the Supreme Court
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

Dec 18, 2024 • 14min
(Preview) CEWC and Bleak Economic Data; Naval Exercises Around Taiwan; New Reporting on Chip Controls; Trump’s Standing Invitation to Xi
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

Dec 11, 2024 • 12min
(Preview) ‘Moderately Loose’ and Cautiously Stimulating; Nvidia Under Investigation; Broadening Export Bans; A TikTok Verdict and a Trump Prayer
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 the latest messaging from Beijing on efforts to stimulate the economy in 2025 and beyond. Topics include: Politburo language that echoes 2008, muted reactions from the mainland markets, why the ultimate policy decisions may not be made until the PRC has more clarity on Trump's intentions, and more. From there: Nvidia finds itself at the center of an antitrust probe, while the PRC restrictions on critical minerals are broader than initially thought, and drone components are now also being restricted from export to the US and Europe. At the end: Reviewing last Friday's verdict from the DC Circuit in TikTok v. Garland, and charting the next steps for TikTok and the Trump administration as January 19th approaches and TikTok faces a ban in the United States.
To email the show: email@sharpchina.fm
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
December Politburo meeting ahead of the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC) — Sinocism
Politburo meeting and CEWC; Nvidia antitrust investigation; Trump and China; TikTok's narrowin path in US — Sinocism
China’s Politburo revives crisis-era language in pledge to bolster economy — SCMP
China loosens monetary policy stance for first time in 14 years — Financial Times
Nvidia Probed in China Over Possible Antimonopoly Violations — Wall Street Journal
Nvidia Is Now Too Powerful for Beijing to Constrain — New York Times
China’s Critical Minerals Embargo Is Even Tougher Than Expected — New York Times
Geopollutical Warfare — Doomberg
China Tightens Its Hold on Minerals Needed to Make Computer Chips — New York Times
China Is Cutting Off Drone Supplies Critical to Ukraine War Effort — Bloomberg
Unidentified Drones Light Up New Jersey’s Skies, Baffling Residents — New York Times
TIKTOK INC. AND BYTEDANCE LTD. V. MERRICK B. GARLAND — DC Circuit
Incoming national security adviser says Trump is 'ready to take big swings and do big things’ — Fox Business
Rep. Mike Waltz calls out the Biden campaign's TikTok account: 'They should be ashamed' — Fox News
Inside the Strange, Strained Courtship of Donald Trump and Mega-Donor Jeff Yass — Vanity Fair
Big Republican Donor Jeff Yass Owned Shares in Trump Media Merger Partner — New York Times
TikTok Hires Francisco And Mooppan For High Court Fight — Law360


