Podcasts about Shenzhen

As dragon boats swiftly navigated the narrow waterways of the Diejiao water town in Foshan, Guangdong province, the crowds were thrilled at the jaw-dropping maneuvers and fierce competition.当龙舟在广东佛山叠滘水乡狭窄的水道中飞速穿行时，观众为其令人叹为观止的操控和激烈的角逐兴奋不已。The traditional racing event attracted more than 2 million visitors to the town during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.端午节假期期间，这项传统赛事吸引了超过200万游客前来参观。The Diejiao dragon boat race is an intangible cultural heritage in Foshan. The narrow and winding rivers there prompt the rowers to perform dramatic stunts and sudden stops during the race, earning it the nickname of the "fast and furious".叠滘龙舟赛是佛山市的非物质文化遗产。由于河道狭窄蜿蜒，赛艇运动员在比赛中需要做出各种惊险刺激的动作和急停，因此被称为“速度与激情”。For example, in the Dongsheng competition section, each team of nearly 40 members must navigate a 25-meter-long boat at a high speed through a 560-meter course consisting of six sharp turns.例如，在东胜赛区，每支近40人的队伍必须驾驶一艘25米长的龙舟，高速穿越560米长的、包含六个急弯的赛道。The roar of paddles was matched by the thunderous shouting and cheering of excited spectators. Among the visitors was a 27-year-old marketing manager from Shenzhen, surnamed Zhu.桨声震耳欲聋，现场观众的欢呼声也如雷鸣般震耳欲聋。来自深圳、27岁的市场经理朱先生也在观赛人群之中。"It was my first time seeing a dragon boat race up close, especially the thrilling bend sprints unique to Diejiao," he said. "The atmosphere was marvelous and unbelievable, and crowds packed the riverbanks and even rooftops."“这是我第一次近距离观看龙舟比赛，尤其是叠滘独有的惊险刺激的弯道冲刺，”他说。“现场气氛精彩绝伦，令人难以置信，河岸甚至屋顶都挤满了人。”"From incense rituals and firecrackers to dragon boat races and lively food stalls, the village was alive with tradition," he said.“从上香仪式、鞭炮声，到龙舟竞渡和热闹的小吃摊，整个村庄都洋溢着传统气息，”他说。During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, from Saturday to Monday, Foshan received over 2 million visitors, marking a 46.11 percent year-on-year increase, said the local government.当地政府表示，端午节假期（周六至周一），佛山接待游客超过200万人次，同比增长46.11%。Tourism revenue is estimated to have surged to 1.015 billion yuan ($141 million) during the three-day holiday, up 49.26 percent year-on-year, it added on Monday.周一，佛山市政府补充道，预计三天假期旅游收入将飙升至10.15亿元人民币（1.41亿美元），同比增长49.26%。The competition in Foshan will last until June 15, and top teams from across Guangdong and those from other cities such as Hong Kong and Macao will be invited to participate.佛山的比赛将持续到6月15日，届时将邀请来自广东省各地以及香港、澳门等其他城市的顶尖队伍参赛。Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday honoring Qu Yuan, one of ancient China's greatest patriotic poets, and is marked nationwide by thrilling dragon boat races.端午节是纪念中国古代最伟大的爱国诗人屈原的传统节日，全国各地都会举行精彩纷呈的龙舟比赛。Data from travel services provider Qunar showed that, as of Monday, searches containing keywords like "dragon boat" and "zongzi" more than doubled compared with the previous month, and bookings for destinations offering folk culture experiences rose more than 40 percent.旅游服务提供商去哪儿网的数据显示，截至周一，“龙舟”和“粽子”等关键词的搜索量环比增长了一倍多，预订提供民俗文化体验的目的地的数量增长了40%以上。In recent years, more areas have expanded their festivities by blending the races with local culture and tourism, creating richer and more immersive experiences for visitors and boosting the local economy.近年来，越来越多的地区将龙舟比赛与当地文化和旅游相结合，拓展了节日庆祝活动，为游客创造了更丰富、更沉浸式的体验，促进了当地经济发展。In Haikou, Hainan province, about 40 teams, including those from Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, competed in international dragon boat racing from Saturday to Sunday, attracting over 219,000 visitors, Haikou Daily reported.据《海口日报》报道，海南省海口市在周六至周日举办国际龙舟邀请赛，约有40支队伍参赛，包括来自马来西亚、新加坡、菲律宾的代表队，共吸引游客超过21.9万人次。In Fujian province, Fangzhuang village, one of China's largest wood dragon boat manufacturing hubs, received over 200 orders for dragon boats this year, setting a record.在福建省，作为中国最大的木制龙舟制造中心之一，方庄村今年接到了超过200艘龙舟的订单，创下了历史新高。Fang Jianwei, a dragon boat craftsman, said they have received orders from Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces. There were also overseas orders, including those from the United States and Japan.龙舟工匠方剑伟表示，他们接到了来自福建、广东和江西等地的订单，也包括来自美国和日本的海外订单。Dragon boat traditions go beyond southern China. This year, northern-style racing returned to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Cangzhou, Hebei province, after nearly 200 years.龙舟传统远不仅限于中国南方。今年，北方风格的龙舟赛事时隔近200年，重返河北沧州的京杭大运河。"The race highlights not just speed, but also skill and creativity," said Zhang Ge, deputy general manager of Cangzhou Grand Canal Development Group, adding that the city plans to turn dragon boat shows into a regular tourism product, integrating cultural, social and economic benefits to boost Cangzhou's cultural tourism appeal.“龙舟赛事不仅注重速度，更注重技巧和创意。”沧州大运河发展集团副总经理张阁说道。他还表示，沧州计划将龙舟表演打造成常态化旅游产品，集文化效益、社会效益和经济效益于一体，提升沧州的文化旅游吸引力。intangible cultural heritage非物质文化遗产maneuver/məˈnuːvər/n.精巧动作；策略；演习v.熟练地移动；操纵immersive/ɪˈmɜːrsɪv/adj.身临其境的；沉浸式的patriotic/ˌpeɪtriˈɒtɪk/adj.爱国的

Jeremy Goldkorn joins for this largely unedited throwback to the early, sweary days of the show. We talk about the announcement made on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, on the "aggressive" revocation of Chinese student visas for students with Party "connections" or who study "critical fields." You've been warned!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

①Sanxingdui-themed train links ancient culture, natural wonder in SW China's Sichuan②Shanghai's Egyptian exhibition receives record number of visitors③Aerial tourism the modern "journey to the west"④Shenzhen cross-border travelers top 100 mln amid tourism boom, visa-free surge⑤China's Yunnan sees blooming flower export

A bonus episode this week. On May 22, I moderated a panel organized by Vita Golod and the UNC Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies. The focus was on the U.S.-Ukraine Mineral Security Partnership, and it features Ivan Us, Chief Consultant at the Center for Foreign Policy at the National Institute for Strategic Studies; Jim Mullinax, a Senior Foreign Service Officer and former Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu (closed in 2020); Grzegorz Stec, Senior Analyst and Head of the Brussels Office at MERICS; and Xu Qinduo, journalist at CGTN and Senior Fellow at the Pangoal Institution. The panel explores the background and the implications of the minerals deal, signed on May 1, 2025, for the ongoing war in Ukraine, and prospects for post-war reconstruction. I hope you enjoy what I thought was a fascinating conversation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Huawei Ireland has launched the 2025 edition of its flagship talent programme 'Seeds for the Future', which is open to students in third-level education or above. Seeds for the Future is Huawei's globally recognised Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) flagship programme. This programme seeks to develop local talent, share knowledge, increase ICT sector awareness and enthusiasm, and foster digital community building. This year, the programme will take place in Shenzhen, China, for five days (September 1-5), where students will visit Huawei headquarters and take a variety of courses covering the latest innovations in smart cities, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G, and the Internet of Things. As well as technical knowledge, students develop soft skills like cultural awareness, time management and collaboration. The students from the Irish university selected for this year's programme will each be awarded a €1,000 bursary. To apply for the programme, students should upload their CV, a transcript of their academic records, and a cover letter of 400-600 words and/or a three-minute personal video reflecting on their objectives to participate to this the link. Students can also find further information about the programme through the Seeds for the Future official website (https://www.huawei.com/minisite/seeds-for-the-future/index.html ). The deadline for submissions is June 30. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact seedsireland@huawei.com. Announcing the 2025 Seeds for the Future Programme, Luke McDonnell, Head of PR, Huawei Ireland, said: "Huawei is committed to creating value for the communities in which we operate. The programmes in which we are involved - Seeds for the Future - demonstrate our commitment to nurturing and developing today's students to think about the future of our society. We continue to invest in Ireland's future ICT workforce, and we see this student opportunity as another way to help these students to enhance their capabilities as they continue their studies in STEM subjects." In the 2024 edition of Seeds for the Future project, Team Anaphero from Ireland won European Region Champion and secured Global TOP 3 among more than 150 teams across the globe. Team Anaphero also won the People's Selection Award, reflecting the widespread appeal and importance of their project. For more details go to: Huawei - Seeds for The Future - PROGRAMME

This week on Sinica, I chat with Eva Dou, technology reporter for the Washington Post, about her terrific new book about Huawei. From its prehistory to its fight for its life under tremendous U.S. pressure, she tells its story in a way that's both deeply engaging and very evenhanded. 04:53 – Meng Wanzhou's case and its impact on media interest in Huawei07:13 – How did Ren Zhengfei's experiences in the PLA shape the corporate culture of Huawei?10:21 – The impact of his father on Ren Zhengfei 13:42 – Women in Huawei's leadership and Sun Yafang as a chairwoman 18:41 – Is Huawei a tool of the state?23:21 – Edward Snowden's revelations and how they influenced the perception of Huawei 26:34 – The Cisco lawsuit influence on the company's approach to foreign markets 28:07 – Reasons for Huawei working with embargoed or sanctioned states30:46 – Huawei's international expansion 33:04 – Huawei's management style and internal competition 36:33 – Meng Wenzhou's detainment as a turning point for Huawei and China-U.S. relations38:09 – Ren Zhengfei's media campaign and narrative shift after the Meng affair40:44 – Huawei's involvement in Xinjiang's surveillance 43:09 – Huawei's success in shaping 5G standards despite global pushback46:27 – The “Huawei index”: tracking Chinese investment abroad through Huawei's market presence48:35 – Huawei's push into chip development amid sanctions: real progress or just hype?52:23 – Huawei: a proxy, a leading or lagging indicator, or just a bellwether?54:11 – Huawei's “too big to fail” status: benefits and risks amid U.S. government pressure56:29 – Huawei's perspective on the backlash from sanctions58:19 – Concluding question: about Huawei's ownership and governancePaying it forward: Raffaele Huang at The Wall Street JournalRecommendations: Eva: The Party's Interests Come First by Joseph Torigian; Yang Jie at The Wall Street Journal; Piranesi by Susanna ClarkeKaiser: Adolescence on Netflix; Kyle Chan's high-capacity.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Sinica Network proudly presents a new podcast: China Talking Points, featuring Kaiser Kuo (host of the Sinica Podcast), Eric Olander (host of the China-Global South Podcast and China In Africa Podcast) and Andrew Polk, co-founder of Trivium China and host of its podcast. We'll be joined regularly by Lizzi Lee, Fellow on Chinese Economy at the Asia Society Policy Institute's (ASPI) Center for China Analysis. Tune in live every other week for unscripted thoughts on the major China-related news of the week.This week, we focused on the truce in the trade war that Donald Trump launched with the so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs of April 9. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with top Chinese trade negotiator He Lifeng and his team in Geneva over the weekend, and we look at what came out of those meetings and what we can expect to happen next. We also discussed the dogfight that took place between India and Pakistan last week, in which the Pakistani air force claims to have downed as many as five Indian planes, significant for China because the Pakistani planes were Chinese-made J10-C fighters. Eric, who wrote about the Chinese reaction to this and offered his take on the reasons for their success, managed to incur a lot of online Indian wrath — an occupational hazard — but presents a compelling case for why the fully integrated Chinese military systems gave Pakistan the edge.Watch us live on YouTube starting May 28th. Check out the new Sinica Network YouTube channel here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fueled by China's visa-free policies for visitors from more than 50 countries and the coordinated growth of cultural tourism and business exhibitions, top-tier Chinese cities have reported significant increases in the total amount of tax refunded to foreign travelers so far this year, according to Customs data.海关数据显示，受惠于中国对50多个国家旅客实施免签政策，以及文化旅游和商务展览业协同发展的带动，今年以来，中国主要城市向境外旅客办理的离境退税总额大幅增长。For example, Customs authorities at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, an aviation hub in South China's Guangdong province, verified over 4,600 departure tax refund applications from overseas travelers in the first four months of 2025, with the total value of these applications reaching 104 million yuan ($14.46 million) and the refunded tax amount exceeding 13 million yuan—up 195 percent, 149 percent and 150 percent year-on-year, respectively.例如，2025年前四个月，广州白云国际机场海关共审核境外旅客离境退税申请4600余份，总金额达1.04亿元人民币（约合1446万美元），退税金额逾1300万元人民币，同比分别增长195%、149%和150%。"I had a fantastic time and bought many things as well, including a new smartphone and some kitchen appliances," said Jao Shu-Min, a traveler from Australia, while going through the departure tax refund process at the declaration counter of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, information provided by Guangzhou Customs showed.广州海关提供的信息显示，来自澳大利亚的旅客饶淑敏（音译）在广州白云国际机场申报柜台办理离境退税时表示：“我玩得很开心，还买了很多东西，包括一部新的智能手机和一些厨房用具。”Her tax refund application listed the names, unit prices and tax amounts of the purchased items, with a refund rate of 11 percent.她的退税申请单上列出了所购商品的品名、单价和税额，退税率为11%。"In the past, I was always worried that visa procedures might delay my travel plans," said Chloe Elizabeth, a traveler from the United Kingdom, who received a tax refund of 2,600 yuan at the declaration counter of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in early May.来自英国的旅客克洛伊·伊丽莎白表示：“以前，我总是担心签证手续会耽误我的旅行计划。”5月初，她在广州白云国际机场申报柜台办理了2600元人民币的退税。"China's visa-free transit policy saved us time and prompted my spontaneous decision to visit. Overall, the experience of sightseeing and shopping has been excellent," she said.“中国的过境免签政策节省了我们的时间，促使我当场做出了前往中国的决定。总的来说，观光和购物的体验非常棒。”她说道。Around 2,120 kilometers from Guangzhou, Customs authorities at Beijing Capital International Airport processed a total of 6,108 departure tax refund applications between January and April, with refund invoices totaling 316.81 million yuan and tax refunds amounting to 40.55 million yuan.距广州约2120公里的北京首都国际机场海关在1月至4月期间共受理离境退税申请6108份，开具退税发票3.1681亿元人民币，实际退税金额4055万元人民币。During the five-day May Day holiday this year, a total of 435 tax refund applications were verified at Beijing Capital International Airport, jumping 105.19 percent on a yearly basis. The total value of the verified refund invoices reached 11.98 million yuan, up 181.41 percent year-on-year, statistics from Beijing Customs showed.北京海关统计数据显示，今年“五一”假期期间，北京首都国际机场共受理退税申请435份，同比增长105.19%，已核准退税发票金额1198万元人民币，同比增长181.41%。China began implementing a nationwide tax refund policy for international tourists in early April, replacing the traditional refund-at-departure system with a more efficient refund-at-purchase model.中国于4月初开始在全国范围内实施国际游客退税政策，以更高效的购物退税模式取代传统的离境退税制度。The upgraded tax refund policy, initially implemented in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, has been expanded to a nationwide rollout.升级后的退税政策已率先在北京、上海和广东省深圳等城市实施，目前已在全国范围内推广。Under the updated policy, eligible tourists can now receive tax refunds immediately at the point of purchase, eliminating the need to wait until departure, said Zhao Zhao, deputy head of Customs at Beijing Daxing International Airport.北京大兴国际机场海关副关长赵兆表示，根据新政策，符合条件的游客现在可以在购物时立即办理退税，无需等到离境。To attract more overseas visitors, China rolled out a new policy in late April allowing foreign travelers to claim departure tax refunds for same-store purchases of 200 yuan per day—down from the previous threshold of 500 yuan, according to the Ministry of Commerce.据商务部称，为吸引更多海外游客，中国于4月底推出了一项新政策，允许外国旅客在同店购物满200元人民币即可办理离境退税，门槛由之前的500元人民币下调至200元人民币。Driven by favorable visa-free and tax refund policies, Shanghai Customs verified a total of 36,000 departure tax refund applications in the first four months, marking a year-on-year increase of 137.4 percent.在优惠的免签和退税政策推动下，上海海关今年前4个月共审核离境退税申请3.6万份，同比增长137.4%。During the same period, Shanghai Customs facilitated the movement of 13.86 million inbound and outbound travelers, 83,000 flights and 233 cruise ships, up 26.8 percent, 15.3 percent and 111.8 percent year-on-year, respectively.同期，上海海关共办理进出境旅客1386万人次、航班8.3万架次、邮轮233艘次，分别同比增长26.8%、15.3%和111.8%。uptick/ˈʌptɪk/n.小幅增长；微升threshold/ˈθreʃhoʊld/n.门槛；起始点；临界值verify/ˈverɪfaɪ/v.核实，确认facilitate/fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/v.促进，使便利

I had scheduled a show to record while I was in Providence last week, but it fell through and had to be rescheduled, so please give this talk I delivered at Carnegie Mellon last month a listen!Hope you enjoy.KaiserSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're halfway through the Italian Open in Rome, and there's been no shortage of drama in the final clay Masters event in the build up to the French Open in Paris. Joel and Chris are on hand at Tennis Weekly HQ to talk all about the return of the World Number 1 Jannik Sinner from suspension including the player and fan reaction. Carlos Alcaraz is also back, if a little under the radar after missing Madrid, but has got the pair pondering could we be in for another Sinner-Alcaraz ding dong? And if not, when?On the WTA side, It's been another bumpy ride though on the clay for Iga Swiatek who suffered a early loss to Danielle Collins which put the chance of defending her Roland Garros title further into doubt whilst Coco Gauff proved why she could be the biggest threat to Aryna Sabalenka in Paris with a classy win over Emma Raducanu to make the quarterfinals.Outside of Rome, Novak Djokovic grabbed headlines with a wildcard entry into Geneva whilst his PTPA player union scored a legal win over the ATP. Plus, the Billie Jean King Cup Finals draw in Shenzhen is out as Great Britain were handed Japan - but who will be the British Number 1 leading the charge when September rolls around? We also break down what we're looking forward as Week 2 in Rome gets underway and Joel is in the hot seat with nowhere to run in a solo edition of Par for The Courts.Roland-Garros Hospitality with Sports, Travel and Hospitality GroupTo guarantee the best seats in the house with ticket-inclusive official hospitality, visit https://bit.ly/4j6RYBzSOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.MERCHPurchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SOSV: Deep Tech Before It Was CoolSOSV wasn't always a billion-dollar fund—it began as a scrappy experiment. Ten years ago, the team was writing $50K checks. Today, it's a global operation with $1.5B under management, backing 60+ new startups annually and running two specialized programs:HAX for hard tech (robotics, industrial, mobility)IndieBio for biotech, food, health, and sustainabilityTheir formula? Hands-on acceleration + deep labs + strategic follow-on capital.“We're not just investors—we're builders. We have scientists and engineers on staff to help startups go from prototype to product faster.”The Global Deep Tech PlaybookBen's career spans Asia (Japan, Korea, China), Silicon Valley, and Europe. While SOSV is a US-based fund, its hard tech accelerator HAX was originally launched in Shenzhen and has since relocated to Newark, NJ. Its biotech program IndieBio began in San Francisco and later expanded to New York City. Today, ~50% of SOSV's portfolio is US-based, with the rest spread across Europe, Asia (notably Singapore), and LATAM.The Vertical Thesis: Climate, Health & IndustrialSOSV focuses on:Climate Tech: From Neptune Robotics cleaning ship hulls to AI-powered food formulationHealth Tech: With over 100 investments, including 20+ in women's healthBiomanufacturing: Startups using biology to produce materials, pharma, food, and solvents sustainablyMatchmaking at Scale: Building Events That Actually WorkFrustrated with event inefficiencies, Ben built his own internal toolset—combining spreadsheets, Python scripts, and LLMs—to run high-efficiency online matchmaking events. These have drawn thousands of VCs and startups, focusing on niche verticals like:BiomanufacturingWomen's HealthClimate Tech (with over 1500 participants and 800 investors)“If it takes me more than an hour to do a repetitive task, I'll just build a tool to automate it.”And yes—SOSV has invested in eight startups discovered through these very matchmaking events.Investing Beyond the ObviousSOSV is known for spotting winners in categories others overlook. Their portfolio spans everything from plant-based AI-designed food (NotCo) to microbe-based mining. As Ben puts it:“We're not afraid to invest in the things that don't have a category yet.”Why Founders Should Get on StageBen spoke at over 300 events—but not for ego. As a self-described "trained shy person," it was a way to build visibility without cold outreach. For founders, the lesson is the same:“It takes three signals to make a tiger. If people hear about you on stage, in media, and from someone they trust—they believe.”In other words, visibility builds credibility.Learn MoreSOSV – Early-stage investor in deep tech and biotechHello Tomorrow – Global Summit for science and deep tech innovation Be sure to follow Sesamers on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more cool stories from the people we catch during the best Tech events!

In this edition of Between Two Nerds Tom Uren and The Grugq examine whether the US should steal intellectual property from Chinese companies. This episode is also available on Youtube. Show notes Stewart Baker's Lawfare article Bunny Huang's 'Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen' BTN44 on the rights and wrongs of intellectual property theft Corelight sponsor interview with James Pope

This week on Sinica, I chat with veteran Wall Street Journal reporter Bob Davis, who has covered the U.S.-China relationship for decades. He recently published a new book called Broken Engagement, which consists of interviews with U.S. policymakers who were instrumental in shaping American policy toward China from the George H.W. Bush administration through the Biden administration. It's an eye-opening look at the individuals who fought for — and against — engagement with China.2:58 – Bob's thoughts on engagement: whether it was doomed from the start, when and why there was a shift, people's different aspirations for it and retrospective positioning, and whether it could have a transformative effect 13:28 – The Nancy Pelosi interview: her approach, her Taiwan visit, and her critique of capitulation to business interests17:18 – Bob's interviews with Charlene Barshefsky, Lawrence Summers, and Bob Zoellick: the WTO accession, the China shock, Zoellick's “responsible stakeholder” concept, and diplomacy as an ongoing process 27:24 – The Robert Gates interview: security-focused engagement, and his shift to realism 31:14 – Misreading Xi Jinping34:42 – Bob's interviews with Stephen Hadley and Ash Carter regarding the South China Sea 39:19 – The Matt Pottinger interview: his view on China and how COVID changed everything 46:14 – Michael Rogers' interview: cyber espionage and cyber policy 51:25 – Robert O'Brien's interview: the “reverse Kissinger” and Taiwan 54:14 – Bob's interview with Kurt Campbell: his famous Foreign Affairs essay, differentiating between decoupling and de-risking, and technology export restrictions and trade deals 59:28 – The Rahm Emanuel interview: his response to wolf warrior diplomacy1:01:57 – Bob's takeaways: the long-term vision of engagement, introspective interviewees, and his own increased pessimism Paying It Forward: Lingling Wei at The Wall Street Journal; Eva Dou at The Washington Post and her book House of Huawei: The Secret History of China's Most Powerful Company; and Katrina Northrop at The Washington Post Recommendations: Bob: The TV series Derry Girls (2018-2022) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2024); and Margaret O'Farrell's novels, including Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait Kaiser: The BBC and Masterpiece series Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 16:9 PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SCREENFEED – DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT If you go to big outdoor sports events, concerts in parks or even political rallies, there's a reasonable chance that what's happening is going to be relayed on a portable LED display that was wheeled into place by   trailer. My local footy team uses one and it is old and looks terrible. But that's not the norm, and certainly not for a Des Moines, Iowa company that is very specifically in the business of making and selling great-looking and bulletproof on-the-go LED trailers. Insane Impact has been at it for eight years and now has almost 500 units operating, mostly but not only in the United States. The flagship product is 17 feet wide by 10 feet tall, using 4mm LED and pushing as much as 7,500 nits. It's been designed to roll into place and be up and running in 10 minutes or less - even if a doofus like me was told to get it lit up. I had a really good chat with Tod Puetz, who started the company after first being a user, when he was in the golf equipment business. In this podcast, we get into a lot of things - including how he had the foresight to get ahead of the tariffs turmoil and pre-ordered enough electronics and hardware to hopefully ride out these uncertain months. We also talk about use-cases and probably the most curious application to date - drive-in funerals when COVID was raging. Subscribe from wherever you pick up new podcasts. TRANSCRIPT Tod, thank you for joining me. Can you tell me what Insane Impact does, where you're based, those kinds of nuts and bolts questions?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, appreciate it Dave. Insane Impact, primarily focused on LED as a business, but we are an audio video integration company based out of Des Moines, Iowa.  Des Moines. So you're in flyover country? Tod Puetz: Absolutely.  It's actually very handy there because you're like two hours away from the East Coast and two hours away from the West coast, right?  Tod Puetz: It really is. Just in proximity here in the central part of the US, where our corporate office and warehouse location is about 65 seconds from the airport Des Moines International, so very easy to get in. All the major interstate throwaways between I-29 North and South and I-35 North and South, and then I-80 West. We're pretty much within minutes of getting anywhere we need to go east, west, north, or south.  Nice. How long has the company been around?  Tod Puetz: We started up in 2015, flipped the switch basically late December, 2015 and have been going rock and roll. So we're coming up on our 10 year anniversary here in December.  You are a founder?  Tod Puetz: I am, yeah. Founder and CEO.  So what compelled you to do this? What did you see in the marketplace that said, okay, this is what I should do?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, really the CliffNotes version, my former life was in the golf business. I was a manufacturer sales rep for TaylorMade Golf, and I was introduced to a gentleman here locally in Des Moines that had an older video truck and basically saw an opportunity to utilize that as a sales tool to help me sell more golf clubs.  So we took this video truck out on the driving range here locally in Des Moines, hooked it up to the launch monitor and, gosh, that was almost 18 years ago. Back then it was a big deal. Not a lot of people in your run of the mill average daily golfer really ever had an op opportunity to do that. They'd seen it on tour. But we brought the bigs out to the little team here in some of these country clubs, and again, larger than life. They were able to see their stats up on the screen and really fell in love with the technology back then, and were able to utilize that for a number of years after that initial introduction. What was it back then? What was the technology back then, early LED?  Tod Puetz: It was an SMD, It was an early 8x8 millimeter SMD back then. I refer to it as antiquated, but back then, it was pretty fresh and new. But yeah, just the idea of being able to drive this thing up to the driving range, the wings folded open on this thing and, within minutes we're plug and play and just really, fell in love with that concept. ,  Yeah. So did you buy the business from him or just get something going on your own? Tod Puetz: Did not. We utilized them. It was a kind of a one man show there. It was more of a hobby for individuals, and they used it for four or five years. But they weren't interested in scaling this thing. As my career with TaylorMade progressed more and more, I ended up working with other companies, just trying to understand the LED business. So I branched out and helped a few other smaller LED niche companies to try to generate some business in the sports space. We just had a lot of relationships with the golf business and yeah, really just took the concept and I knew there was a different mouse trap here with that type of opportunity to scale it, that's where we started things in late 2015. So the idea is just at its bare essentials, and I think most people understand this anyways, but just in case, is you've got a foldable all in one LED display that's on a trailer and your customers are rolling it out to different locations, whether they're entertainment events, sports events or something else, and finding power, plugging it in, open it, and driving a signal to it, and you've got a big display where it needs to be for three days or three weeks or whatever it is, right?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, absolutely. By no means, does Insane Impact claim to be the inventor of mobile LED. Obviously, that has been one man for a very long time. Our business, Insane Impact, started up on the rental side. We designed, fabricated and engineered a handful of units, just to service what we thought was gonna be a Midwest boutique rental business and very quickly became a national presence. And what we found was that the same people were renting products two, three and four times a year, and really, our thought process was, why don't we just own one of these things, and we can use it 365 days a year, if we want? And again, there were already customers out there, there were common trucks that were selling trailers, but it wasn't popular and we really started working back in 2016 to develop a plan where if you own the product, we can certainly start to feed your business as well, you can be part of our rental network and that's really what kind of, put the fuel on the fire. Each year, more and more units in the field, more and more customers from parks and municipalities, armed forces, college, university, all of the usual suspects out there that use these things on a regular basis, really became the traction for rapid growth in this endeavor.  So your company, it's an interesting kind of mashup of different competencies, so to speak, in that if you are manufacturing rolling stock with lots of heavy-duty metals and wheels and everything else, that's one thing. And then at the polar opposite, you've got fairly sensitive electronics. So you're doing both sides of that, right?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, absolutely. We take a fully engineered and manufactured trailer. These trailers weigh anywhere from 3,500 pounds on our smallest unit up to 18,000 pounds on a triple axle gooseneck. And they've got real high end LEDs permanently. We've approached it a little bit differently. We're putting a fixed product on it. So something that's used to and withstands the elements pretty much anywhere, including the road, and then obviously everything else on the unit is fully protected from shock, from absorption of weather. Everything's IP67 through the components side of things, and IP65 on the trailer, fully powder coated system.  So we've really built, tried, and tested a product that's gonna last and withstand the elements going up and down the road at 75 miles an hour in any extreme environment.  I'm guessing that you, in your early years, had some lessons, whether they were hard ones or whatever.  Tod Puetz: Yeah, absolutely. It wouldn't be any fun if we didn't. Our first major lesson that we learned, Dave and I think this is really what sets us apart is that we did the hang and bang modular cabinets on our product for the first, probably two and a half years and we learned the lesson real quick that those just aren't designed to withstand the long-lasting road and weather, wear and tear. At the time, that's what everybody was using it and that's kind of where we were at. It took a lot of headaches, blood and sweat, for those first two years to figure out what product really made sense. For the last four and a half years, we've really been rock and rolling on a specific product, chassis, and stuff that just really outperformed, in a big way. So that was a very painful lesson because you're a year into this thing, and you've got issues, and those are hard to come by as a startup, but we were able to weather the storm and find what really worked for us and I think that really separate us from most right now is we just, we're putting some of the best products out there on the market on these trailers. And you not only have to make it bulletproof, but I suspect you have to do it down like crazy, because this can not be something that takes 45 minutes and has a checklist, like launching a rocket or something. It's gotta roll into place and find power and open the hinges, lock them down, and get a signal in, right? Tod Puetz: Yeah, you nailed it. I think one of the things as we built this thing out, Dave, is that the single most important part was customer focus and customer friendly, and I will tell you that you yourself, or even my 18-year-old daughter, can get this thing up and running in less than 10 minutes. We pride ourselves on delivering a turnkey functional unit to our flagship product, which is our Max 1710. You can pull in, and it'll take you longer to unhook it than it will to turn it on and set it up in some respects. We offer a generator-powered option or a battery-powered option. We've got a fully self-sustained, lithium-ion pack that is performing at an incredible level right now, which we're really excited about.  So we worked with a major organization probably about 18 months ago, in the Armed Forces space, and we worked with them to design a fully self-sustainable battery pack solution and were really excited about that. We can talk about that a little bit more here, but at the end of the day, our electronics cabinet is an IP67 rated rack that basically opens it up, and as you know, with everything, we run Nova Star. So everything is just a straight playback video. So just hit the breakers, hit the power switch, and you're off and running. So we really did wanna make this thing turnkey. They come fully self-sustained with audio as well. We wanted to make sure that anybody and everybody could operate this thing very quickly.  Is there a media playout box in there, or do you use an external feed and then just plug it into an HDMI or whatever it may be? Tod Puetz: Plenty of different options. Most often our customers, like your Park and Rec municipality, the people that are using this thing to play movies and stuff, they're just streaming it off the laptop. But we got an IO box that they can drop in, SDI, fiber, anything else if you're running or whatever it might be. But yeah, anybody can bring us any signal within, within a minute, and we're up and running. So really trying to get in that turnkey facet of this thing to make sure that we're in a good spot.  Okay, so you're sourcing the trailer from a third-party manufacturer as opposed to bending metal and doing all that yourself and you're sourcing the electronics, and you're basically doing final assembly, right?  Tod Puetz: Correct. Yep.  Doing it the other way would be very complicated.  Tod Petz: We did that when we first started this little venture, we hired engineers, we bought the welders, we were buying cut parts and building them ourselves, and we realized very quickly that in a 4,000 square foot facility that when this thing takes up, it'd be impossible to keep up. So we were very fortunate to find a local vendor that was in the trailer business already but they took a liking to what we were doing, and it really has just been a wonderful partnership and relationship with them. They build a fantastic product, best-in-class warranty around it, and it's really the fit and the finish from premium laser cut, premium powder coat finishes, all the details that are there, and certainly, we work with some of the best engineers out there in the marketplace to create the best product so really exciting to have that partnership. On the LED side and the electronics side, we're taking the trailer and we're taking the electronics and we're putting the fit and finish on it and making it function and delivering a finished product.  I assume you have some sort of a contract manufacturer or a finished goods supplier in, whether it's China, Taiwan, or somewhere else you're sourcing from. Tod Puetz: On the electronic side, yeah, we do. So we actually just made an announcement here yesterday. We are partnered with DVS (Dynamic Visual Solutions). We've been working with them for almost six years now.  Obviously, Chinese based, but we got in touch with the owner and the CEO of the US business almost six years ago and kind of started to understand what it meant for us and what it meant for them to be a partner and really have our hands on the technology, help them with some of the design elements that we needed within the product to make sure that it was gonna pass the buck and make sure that it lasted and, almost six years later. But, yeah, we just had a nice press release announcing the partnership. We got a huge opportunity with them with the craziness that's going on out there in the space. But great company, wonderful products, best-in-class warranties, and we've had the ability to shape what that product needs to be on our trailers.  I suspect that was a bit of a journey too, finding the right supplier because we've all heard the stories about different companies who make a lot of promises, but what shows up isn't what you thought you were getting. Tod Puetz: Yeah, it was. So we had gone through probably three to five different manufacturers, three to four at least prior to getting with DVS and it's very painful on that side of it because you are dealing with somebody over in China, and sleepless nights and figuring stuff out and a startup and all of the fun things that happen around that. When we were able to locate, DVS was based out of Florida. They really just took a liking to what we were doing and threw all the chips on the table and said, we've got a great modular rental business going, but we're really intrigued about this mobile solution. How can we help? And we really started to dig cautiously optimistic out of the gate because there are thousands of people out there trying to get the business in some respects.  Could we go to one of the major five or six? Yeah, we certainly could have, but we felt like there was a little bit more of an intimate approach to this. We were a newer company. We took our time getting into what we really wanted, and we felt like we had a little more leverage working with a decent-sized company. And with somebody who's got an office in Florida as opposed to Shenzhen or Beijing. Tod Puetz: Correct.  I don't want to get too deep into what's going on right now, but how are you navigating the tariff situation right now?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, that's the million dollar question and in some cases, multi millions. When I started this company, Dave, I had two stances that I wanted to live by. One, I was gonna over-index on our employees and make sure that we had the right people in the right seats, and take very good care of them. The other one that came later on, probably after we had established and it was I'm never gonna run out of products. I just know that if we have products, we'll sell them.  So after those first three, four years, we put ourselves in a position where we've rubber stamped our products, we know who we're selling to, we know what our core markets are, and we've got the right people in the right seats and I just knew that if I would run out of product, then I just make sure that we are collectively chasing the business. That's a really hard thing to do. But fortunately, we've got the right vendors to do this with.  So back in November, after the current administration was elected or they won the nomination, knowing that this discussion of tariffs was on the horizon, we took a very calculated and risky approach, but we went out and bought a slew of equipment. So we bought basically upwards of almost a year of supply in LEDs out front. We went to our trailer manufacturer. They bought a year's worth of supply of our top three SKUs and hedged the bet with us. So we're in a little different position than most, again, there are a lot of people out there who probably did the same thing. I'm not the only one out there who took that risk, but we did take the risk, and it's certainly paying off. That kind of gets you an idea of where we're at and how we've run our business. We just don't wanna run out of products. So fast forward to today in reality, I think there's a blinking that's happening, there's a stance, and this isn't a political statement by any means. This is just our gut feeling on this is, I feel like it's gotta loosen up a little bit here. It can only go so hard and so fast. But we've been able to weather the tariff storm, internally at Insane, impacted by some of the stuff we did on the front end. We have not been significantly impacted by LEDs. If we're to place orders today on LEDs. Honestly, it's been fairly minimal in the impact. We're seeing some of the expensive shipping surcharges that are happening. But I think there's just buying power that's come with some of the things that we've done with our manufacturer to keep them rocking and rolling, that have helped us mitigate a little bit of this. But you're not like some of these companies where they're wringing their hands, okay, in order to get something out of a container in Long Beach, California, I need to write a check for an extra million dollars that I had not anticipated.  Tod Puetz: Yeah, we're not dealing with that. I think where this thing's really impacted, the hundreds of, I'm just gonna call them mom and pop manufacturers over there, whether they're manufacturers or just the days of them just shipping, 12x7s into the States by air is probably coming to an end or they're pricing themselves out of the market a little bit. Either that or they just don't care. But I think a lot of this is the consolidation in the short-term impact that we've seen in real life. The long-term impact, in my opinion, is gonna weed some of them out, and then obviously you've got all the Chinese entity companies, the larger players in the game that are having to come to market with distribution here in the US, where it impacts us the most. So they're adding additional layers of cost and it's really gonna open the door from what we're seeing, it's gonna open the door for us to other markets by virtue of that since we're already and established US distributor. When you first got in touch, I didn't know that much about you and thought, you're a rental company, but I was intrigued that, sure, you do rentals, but really, you're a manufacturer and you're selling to companies who are more regional rental companies. That's accurate, correct?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, it's interesting. So we've really got three business units, Dave. But we started off as a rental company with a primary focus on the mobile solution. We did have modular hanging bangs as well that we took care of some specific customers, but when we kinda uncovered the opportunity, evolved is a great word into the more offside of the business selling video trailers, that opened up a whole other segment of opportunity for us to then really start to take a look at the fixed install stuff.  Our three business units are really, primarily led by the mobile video solution on the trailers, and other new innovative products coming. Now, by the way, we do the marquees and the scoreboards and the highway signs, the airport conference room takeover stuff. We do all of that as well, and oh, by the way, customers that have video trailers, they become part of our cross-rental network. So this nucleus business unit feeds that we have, one feeds the other and that feeds another. It's really that we create a really cool situation here that allows us to have return business from our customers in all of those different facets. Because if you can't afford it, you can rent it. If you rent it too many times, then you can afford to buy it, and oh, by the way, we can replace your scoreboard or we can replace your, your, your classroom or your theater, modular wall, whatever it might be.  We do all three of them, and we do, we feel like we do them pretty well, and again, we're very lucky to have those three business units that fill the pipeline on a regular basis.  Is there a rule of thumb as to that point where, okay, we can rent this five times a year and that makes financial sense, but there's a certain break point where it makes more sense just to buy it? Tod Puetz: Yeah, that's a wonderful question because it really comes down to there's such a tremendous education process. Again, up until maybe, really when we started, at least here in the US, there was nobody else that was mass producing or really proactively selling to the end customer, and when we started doing that, we were very fortunate just to have some relationships where they actually saw the light. “Oh, this makes sense.”  Yeah, it's a high school or a college, and they're using it for their game day stuff. But what's been more fun for me in this company is to see just the evolution of the education that's had that's happened. Going to a city administrator and telling them, hey, it's not just the three movie nights a year, it's all of your chamber events. It's the community support events, it's the fundraiser stuff. So when they start to understand the use case of these items, these trailers, and that they can turn and burn and have these things up and running, whether it's just mass notification, you've got storms coming, or just any and all of those things.  Once they understand the full use case of applications that these products can offer, then the light comes on, and then it becomes a much easier conversation for them to take to the stakeholders and say, alright, we really need this. Here are all the reasons why. So our sales team is incredibly focused on the educational side of the business on how this can impact the community, campus, etc.  I realize you have a number of different sizes and everything else, but, for your primary selling unit, what would that cost?  And if I wanted to rent it for a weekend, if I'm in Ames, Iowa, what would that cost to rent it for a weekend?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, great question. So our flagship product is our Max 1710. So 17 wide, 10 foot tall, 3.9 millimeters on their turnkey generator operation, delivery, and tech. To rent that thing for a day, in this market, it does vary a little bit based on coast to coast. You get a three-day festival and you're spending $7,500 to 8,000 bucks for a screen that's operated that comes turnkey, that has power if needed. That's gonna turn the lights on and be reliable. So that's a pretty good snapshot of what we offer from a rate card on that specific product. If somebody wants to buy it, I'm gonna say turnkey trailer screen electronics, generator, audio. If you want the Mac Daddy package delivered to your doorstep, you're in that $150-160k range, which is gonna get you, 10-year parts, five-year labor on LED screen warranty, five-year parts, five-year labor on the trailer warranty, and then obviously an electronics warranty. So you're really protecting the investment there, Dave.  We're not the most expensive in the marketplace. We're definitely not the least. We feel like we're in a really good slot, and I think our adoption within the marketplace probably supports that. But that gives you a quick snapshot of where we're at from the pricing structure. So if you're a company that's on the rental side of it, you could see an ROI in a year if you're in a busy market.  Tod Puetz: Absolutely. Yeah. I think, 1710, and this doesn't factor in your cogs, your travel, your truck, your tech, etc. Sure. But if you get 20 to 25 really strong rental events within your market on a single day's use, you're right there certainly, being able to pay it back.  And it goes back to that education process. When we sell a customer a unit, we don't guarantee them any business, in terms of what we can bring to them from the cross-rental network. We're very forthright about that. But what does happen is if you're a proven, vetted, rental partner out there in the marketplace, you can bet, you're gonna get some help with monetizing this thing. That's the unique part about this business relationship with our customers on the trailer side is: we're gonna help you guys monetize the unit over time.  I have season tickets to the local Canadian Premier League soccer team that does very well here. They pull 6,500 people to games, but it's at a somewhat temporary stadium, and they have an LED display, it looks like maybe a 17x10 on a truck.  I severely doubt it's yours because it's a piece of crap. It's not very bright, it's not very crisp or anything, but it's something, so I gather that this can be all over the map in terms of what you rent. If you're an end user, you have to pay attention to the specs.  Tod Puetz: Absolutely. We prided ourselves on being the leader when it comes to what products are out there on mobile products, in and of itself. But it really comes down to the screen at the end of the day. I guess we will probably take it a step further. We do take a lot of pride in the physical trailer itself, the metal that this thing rides on, because that's as important to me as it's the LED.  But at the end of the day, having something that you can put up in direct sunlight and have the most quality, crisp image, is what we've over-indexed on that in a good way. So what we come to market with is a 7500 nit, 3.9 product, competitively in the marketplace. 3.9 from our core competitors are in that 4500-5500 nit and it just overpowers everything.  So again, if you're rolling up to the game for a little pre-game watch party, you're gonna get the best viewing experience possible, with some of the product. But we do pay a lot of attention to the spec, the physical components, the quality, and that's very close to our chest, so we don't take that for granted. So you're doing lots of sports and entertainment events, probably some corporate events. I'm curious, what's the most unusual one that you're aware of?  Tod Puetz: It was interesting. You look at Covid and the impact that it had on the industry, and all of these companies out there that have stages and rigging and modular and everything else, they took a little bit of a bath at the onset of Covid, and really, what allowed us to squeeze in and continue to, I would say, entertain, but take care of customers that had to continue to engage, whether it was employees or crowds or whatever.  So we did everything. But this leads up to your question, doing drive-in funerals was probably one of the most unique things that we've done. They couldn't get into the churches, so we were pulling up to large parking lots and they were streaming the funeral from inside the church out to the streets. It was really wild, but I bet we did anywhere from 50 to 60 funerals in late 2020 and in early 2021 until the restrictions relaxed a little bit. So we had funeral homes. We probably have three or four customers that actually own these, as a result of Covid, and they continue to use them for different settings in the church and funeral space. That would be the one that comes to mind, honestly, is that kind of the most bizarre one that you never really think about? Yeah.  How many units do you have out there, roughly?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, so we shipped the first unit in January of 2017 to a gasoline company in Texas. By the end of this month, the end of April, we delivered right around 495 units into the marketplace all around the US. We've got some army bases and navy bases over in Japan. We've got a handful of units over in Europe, a good chunk over in Hawaii, obviously I know that's US, but largely, 95 to 97% of what we've got is here in the lower 48. We do have a few up in your neck of the woods as well, but, yeah, we've been very to lead the charge there as it relates to the go to product in the marketplace. Super interesting. If people wanna know more, they just find you at insaneimpact.com?  Tod Puetz: Yeah, InsaneImpact.com. They can learn a little bit more about everything we do, but it's an exciting time for us. I know there's a little bit of uncertainty and doom and gloom, but we're just keeping our heads down. We've got customers that want the product. They may want it, but how do we get them to realize that they need the product to continue to advance their business, regardless of the sector, and I think if they get in touch with our folks, we're putting ourselves in a good spot to provide really good information and provide a great solid starting base for our conversation. I'm impressed with the advanced planning that you did. I don't have a lot of sympathy for people who were sitting around this week and saying, I didn't see that coming.  Tod Puetz: Head on a swivel constantly, there's no question.  Alright, Todd, thanks very much for taking the time.  Tod Puetz: Dave, I appreciate you. Take care now!

This week on Sinica, I chat with SCMP Senior Europe Correspondent Finbarr Bermingham, who joins from Brussels where he's been covering the EU-China relationship in fantastic depth and with great insight.3:17 – EU-China relations in early 2025: the effect of the 2021 sanctions, who advocated for engagement versus confrontation with China, and the importance of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI)13:49 – How Brussels initially reacted to the rupture in the transatlantic alliance 17:14 – China's so-called charm offensive 21:03 – The idea of de-risking from Washington 23:10 – The impact of the Oval Office meeting with Zelensky 24:55 – Europe's dual-track approach with China and shift toward pragmatism 29:35 – National interests versus EU unity regarding Chinese investment, and whether Brussels could extract concessions 35:20 – Brussels' worry over Trump cutting a deal with China 38:06 – Possible signs of China's flexibility on different issues40:25 – The lifting of the sanctions on European parliamentarians 42:21 – The decrease in calls for values-based diplomacy, and whether securitization is happening in Europe47:05 – How the EU might address tensions over China's industrial overcapacity 50:17 – The possible future of EU-China relations, and whether the transatlantic relationship could go back to normal55:50 – The knee-jerk element of looking past EuropePaying It Forward: Ji Siqi at SCMP, Cissy Zhou at Nikkei, and Kinling Lo and Viola Zhou at Rest of WorldRecommendations:Finbarr: The Stakeknife podcast series; Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe; and the 20th anniversary edition of Wilco's album, A Ghost Is Born Kaiser: The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars, and Caliphs by Marc David Baer See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Hong Kong is starting to look up. The Hang Seng Index has rebounded from last year’s lows and tourists are flocking to major musical and sporting events in the city's new stadium. Even expats – many of whom left for Singapore, London and elsewhere during the pandemic – appear to be returning. But structural challenges remain. The commercial property market is beset by record-high vacancy rates while retailers are reeling as residents find significant cost savings over the border in cities such as Shenzhen. And now we have the onset of US tariffs. What will it take for Hong Kong to recapture its reputation as Asia's vibrant, international city? Benjamin Quinlan, CEO of Quinlan & Associates and conference ambassador at the Hong Kong Tourism Board, says the city needs to double down on mega events. He joins John Lee and Katia Dmitrieva on the Asia Centric podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textShort Summary: The flaws of nutrition epidemiology with Dr. John SpeakmanAbout the guest: John Speakman, PhD is a professor at the University of Aberdeen and runs a lab in Shenzhen, China, focusing on energy balance, obesity, and aging. Note: Podcast episodes are fully available to paid subscribers on the M&M Substack and everyone on YouTube. Partial versions are available elsewhere. Transcript and other information on Substack.Episode Summary: Dr. John Speakman explores the pitfalls of nutrition epidemiology, a field that links diet to health outcomes like cancer and obesity but often produces contradictory results. They discuss flawed methods like 24-hour recalls and food frequency questionnaires, which rely on memory and are prone to bias, and introduce Speakman's new tool using doubly labeled water to screen implausible dietary data. The conversation highlights systematic biases, such as under-reporting by heavier individuals, and emerging technologies like photo diaries and AI for better dietary tracking.Key Takeaways:Nutrition epidemiology studies often contradict each other due to unreliable methods.Common techniques like 24-hour recalls & food frequency questionnaires suffer from memory issues, portion size issues, and systematic biases, often underestimating food intake.Heavier individuals (higher BMI) under-report food intake more, skewing associations between diet & obesity.Speakman's tool, based on 6,500 doubly labeled water measurements, predicts energy expenditure to flag implausible dietary survey data.Emerging technologies, like smartphone photo diaries and AI food identification, promise more accurate dietary tracking than traditional surveys.Randomized controlled trials, not surveys, provide the most reliable dietary insights; single-day intake surveys linked to outcomes years later are dubious.Speakman advises ignoring most nutrition epidemiology headlines due to their inconsistency and lack of prognostic value for behavior change.Related episode:Support the showAll episodes, show notes, transcripts, etc. at the M&M Substack Affiliates: Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Use code MIND for 10% off. Readwise: Organize and share what you read. Athletic Greens: Comprehensive & convenient daily nutrition. Free 1-year supply of vitamin D with purchase. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + potassium, calcium & magnesium, formulated with kidney health in mind. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription. MASA Chips—delicious tortilla chips made from organic corn and grass-fed beef tallow. No seed oils or artificial ingredients. Use code MIND for 20% off. For all the ways you can support my efforts

This week on Sinica, in a show recorded at the University of Pittsburgh, I speak with Benno Weiner, Associate Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon University, about how China's policy toward its minority nationalities (or minzu) have shifted from their older, Soviet-inspired form to the policies of assimilation we now see.2:29 – How the so-called second-generation minzu policy evolved, and its shift away from the first-generation policy17:15 – China's language policy, comparisons to other historical cases, and the difficulty in striking a balance between language autonomy and the state interest of economic equality25:26 – Debating the assumption of Uyghur forced labor 28:20 – How the minzu policy shift is driven by economic and political stability concerns 30:07 – The limited ability of minzus to make themselves heard32:01 – The difficulty of advocacy in the face of accusations of U.S. hypocrisy 37:30 – Han guilt as a galvanizing idea 40:21 – Whether the shift in minzu policy is reversible, and the effect of external pressure 43:46 – Why Xinjiang has received greater global attention than other places 45:50 – How future historians may view minzu policy under Xi JinpingPaying It Forward: Guldana Salimjan, at the University of Toronto Recommendations:Benno: The Red Wind Howls by Tsering Döndrup, translated by Christopher PeacockKaiser: The Six: The Untold Story of the Titanic's Chinese Survivors by Steven SchwankertSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gold Pullback in Focus Gold surged to $3,500 before a sharp pullback to $3,321. Simon breaks down what caused the spike — including comments from Trump about Powell and rate cuts. Weekly chart shows potential kangaroo tail reversal — possible zone to watch: $2,800–$3,000. Gold | Weekly | 23 April 2025 Trump, Powell & IMF Forecast Downgrades Trump critiques Powell and Fed policy while possibly setting up a scapegoat. IMF cuts global growth forecasts from 3.2% to 2.8%. South Africa's expected GDP is now at 1% — far below Treasury's 1.9% target. Rare Earths: Not So Rare, Still Strategic China's dominance in rare earths: 69% production, 90% processing. Simon looks at the VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) as a thematic play. Pros & cons of investing in rare earths — not fully sold on the ETF himself. Flashback: 5 Years Since Negative Oil Remember April 2020? Oil went negative (-$40.32)! Breakdown of why it happened (physical settlement, lack of storage). One of the wildest moments in market history. 21 April 2020 | WTO goes negative New Battery Tech from China's CATL Sodium-ion batteries could rival lithium: cheaper, safer, fast-charging. CATL is profitable and pays a dividend, but listed in Shenzhen, making access tricky. Aspen's R2 Billion Hit Brief mention of Aspen's contract dispute and loss. Lack of transparency continues to damage trust in management. Simon Brown * I hold ungeared positions. All charts by KoyFin | Get 10% off your order    

With rising strategic importance in terms of improving expectations and boosting confidence, China's capital market now provides opportunities for both Chinese and foreign investors as global economic growth stagnates due to Sino-US trade frictions, experts said.专家表示，在中美贸易摩擦导致全球经济增长停滞的背景下，中国资本市场在改善预期、提振信心方面的战略意义日益凸显，为中外投资者提供了投资机会。Their comments followed messages delivered during a State Council executive meeting on Friday, which included making continuous efforts to stabilize the stock market and advance the sound and stable development of the property sector. Once related measures are introduced, they should affect targeted companies and individuals directly. The implementation efficiency of the measures should be improved and their effect ensured, according to the meeting.此前，国务院常务会议于上周五发布消息，强调要持续稳定股市，促进房地产市场健康稳定发展。会议指出，相关措施一旦出台，要直接惠及相关企业和个人。会议强调，要提高措施的执行效率，确保其效果。The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.45 percent on Monday while the Shenzhen Component Index closed up 1.27 percent. The tech-heavy ChiNext in Shenzhen jumped 1.59 percent.周一，上证综指上涨0.45%，深证成指上涨1.27%，以科技股为主的深圳创业板上涨1.59%。The A-share market is crucial for lifting market confidence during trade tensions. Investors should be confident in China's dedication to safeguarding the stability of its capital markets, said Qiu Xiang, chief A-share market strategist at CITIC Securities.中信证券首席A股策略师裘翔表示，A股市场对于在贸易摩擦期间提振市场信心至关重要。投资者应该对中国维护资本市场稳定的决心充满信心。Economic resilience is crucial during the ongoing stalemate. China has more choices and room for more policies, helping it to last longer during the tensions. But the huge amount of government debt that will mature or need refinancing before July will serve as the first turning point for US tariff policies, said Qiu.在持续的僵局中，经济韧性至关重要。中国拥有更多选择和政策空间，有助于其在紧张局势中维持更长时间。但裘翔表示，7月前即将到期或需要再融资的巨额国债将成为美国关税政策的第一个转折点。Against such a backdrop, self-reliant technology companies, sectors benefiting from Europe's increasing capital expenditure, consumer staple providers and companies generating stable dividends are worth looking at in the A-share market, he added.在这样的背景下，他建议A股市场关注自主科技企业、受益于欧洲资本支出增加的行业、消费必需品提供商，以及能够提供稳定分红的公司。Market turmoil and volatility continued in overseas markets last week, indicating continued external pressure. But the Chinese market is stable, thanks to its recovering economic fundamentals and quick responses to recent uncertainties, said Zhang Qiyao, chief strategy analyst at Industrial Securities.上周，海外市场动荡和波动持续，表明外部压力仍在。但中国市场保持稳定，得益于经济基本面持续恢复，以及对近期不确定性作出的迅速反应，兴业证券首席策略分析师张启尧指出。Meanwhile, China's dual circulation development pattern and the country's strategic focus will help to anchor market stability, said Zhang.同时，张启尧表示，中国的双循环发展格局和国家战略重点将有助于巩固市场稳定。Experts from Huaxi Securities wrote in a recent report that the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong stock markets may serve as havens for foreign investors, while other markets are undergoing more drastic fluctuations in the short term and global economic growth faces more uncertainties.华西证券专家在近期报告中指出，在其他市场短期内出现更剧烈波动、全球经济增长面临更多不确定性的背景下，中国内地和香港股市或将成为海外投资者的避风港。The Chinese government has been dedicated to advancing supply side reform and deeper restructuring. Combined with its continued efforts in expanding domestic demand, Chinese firms are provided with a better environment, which means new investment opportunities, Huaxi said.华西证券表示，中国政府致力于推进供给侧结构性改革，深化结构调整，加之持续扩大内需，为中国企业提供了更有利的环境，意味着新的投资机会。In addition, Chinese equity assets now enjoy more valuation advantages compared to their foreign peers. The former's investment value over the mid to long term is especially noticeable. The market should not underestimate policymakers' resolution to stabilize market performance and investor expectations, they added.此外，与境外同类资产相比，中国股票资产目前享有更大的估值优势，其中长期投资价值尤为突出。他们补充道，市场不应低估政策制定者稳定市场表现和投资者预期的决心。During a forum on Sunday, Liu Yuhui, a council member of the China Chief Economist Forum, said that now is a good time to invest in the A-share market, as it is projected to enjoy longer-term prosperity. Investors are especially advised to look for opportunities in core China assets, whose investment value has been manifested during the China-US trade frictions, he said.在周日举行的论坛上，中国首席经济学家论坛理事刘煜辉表示，目前是投资A股市场的好时机，预计A股将迎来长期繁荣。他建议投资者重点关注“核心中国资产”，在中美贸易摩擦中其投资价值已显现。Fu Si, China portfolio strategist at Goldman Sachs, said that global actively managed funds and overseas hedge funds have increased their exposure to A shares since the beginning of the year, mainly driven by the rapid development of Chinese artificial intelligence technology. But their current exposure is still lower than historic levels, while selling room is limited. Therefore, global capital will flow back to the A-share market in the mid to long term, Fu said.高盛中国股票策略分析师付思表示，自年初以来，全球主动管理型基金和海外对冲基金已增加了对A股的配置，主要受到中国人工智能技术快速发展的推动。但目前其配置仍低于历史水平，进一步减仓的空间有限，因此预计全球资本将在中长期回流A股市场。As of the end of March, qualified foreign institutional investors have increased their holdings in A shares—both in terms of volume and market value—on a quarterly basis, according to market tracker Wind Info. QFII held at least 500 million yuan ($68.6 million) worth of shares in Zijin Mining, Centre Testing International Group and China XD Group each, with the latter—a transmission and distribution equipment maker—seeing the most rapid increase of QFII holdings in the past three months.据万得资讯的数据，截至3月底，合格境外机构投资者（QFII）在A股的持股数量和市值均环比上升。QFII在紫金矿业、华测检测和中国西电等公司的持股市值均超过5亿元人民币（约合6860万美元）。其中，作为输配电设备制造商的中国西电，是近三个月QFII持仓增长最快的企业。resilience/rɪˈzɪliəns/n.韧性；应变能力volatility/ˌvɒləˈtɪləti/n.波动性；不稳定性implementation/ˌɪmplɪmenˈteɪʃn/n.执行turmoil/ˈtɜːmɔɪl/n.混乱；骚动

China aims to promote artificial intelligence in aiding the country's education reform, highlighting the cultivation of students' critical thinking, problem-solving abilities and practical skills, while accelerating digital transformation across the sector, according to a newly released guideline.根据新发布的指南，国家正致力于推动人工智能在教育改革中的应用，重点在于培养学生的批判性思维、问题解决能力和实践能力，同时加快教育领域的数字化转型。The guideline on accelerating education digitalization, jointly released by the Ministry of Education and eight other departments, emphasized building an AI-based education system that integrates smart technologies into teaching, learning, assessment and academic research.这份《关于加快推进教育数字化的意见》由教育部会同其他八个部门联合印发，强调要构建基于人工智能的教育体系，将智能技术深度融入教学、学习、评价和科研等环节。Zhou Dawang, head of the ministry's department of science, technology and informatization, said the guideline calls for a comprehensive upgrade of disciplines, curriculum and talent development to meet the demands of the digital economy and future industries.教育部科学技术于信息化司司长周大旺说，文件指出，要全面升级学科体系、课程体系和人才培养体系，以满足数字经济和未来行业的需求。The guideline outlined plans to accelerate the development of large-scale AI models to promote their deep integration into education. It also proposed adjustments to academic programs in higher education and vocational training to better meet the needs of advanced manufacturing and the modern service sector, Zhou said at a news conference on Wednesday.指导意见概述了加速大规模AI模型的计划，以促进其深入融入教育。周大旺在周三的新闻发布会上说，它还提出了对高等教育和职业培训中的学术课程的调整，以更好地满足高级制造业和现代服务部门的需求。Yang Zongkai, chair of the ministry's national expert committee on education digitalization and president of Wuhan University of Technology in Hubei province, said AI is rapidly transforming labor markets and knowledge creation, urging a rethink of talent cultivation models.教育部教育数字化专家咨询委员会主任、武汉理工大学校长杨宗凯表示，AI正在迅速改变劳动力市场和知识创造，敦促重新考虑人才培养模式。"AI is not only reshaping how we teach and learn, but also bringing new possibilities for educational innovation," Yang said. "The guideline stipulates to nurture students' advanced thinking, judgment and practical abilities through intelligent education reform."“人工智能不仅在重塑教与学的方式，也为教育创新带来全新可能，”他说，“文件明确提出，要通过智能教育改革培养学生的高级思维、判断力和实践能力。”China will continue to build education AI models, support pilot applications and develop model classrooms that integrate AI into teaching and assessment. Educators will be trained to use AI to design more challenging and creative learning experiences, he added.中国将继续构建教育AI模型，支持试点应用，并建设融合教学与评价功能的AI示范课堂。他补充说，教师将接受培训，学会利用AI设计更具挑战性和创造性的学习体验。The ministry has launched national AI learning platforms across all education stages and introduced models for 13 disciplines including computer science, chemistry and materials science.目前教育部已在各学段部署国家级AI学习平台，并推出涵盖计算机、化学、材料科学等13个学科的AI教学模型。Wuhan University of Technology, for example, has deployed an AI Assistant 2.0 system and built applications such as AI Study Assistant and AI HR Assistant to support smart campus development, Yang said.杨宗凯说，例如，武汉理工大学已部署AI助理2.0系统，开发了“AI学习助理”“AI人事助理”等应用，支持智慧校园建设。Lu Jiang, Party secretary of Shenzhen Mingde Experimental School in Guangdong province, said the school has implemented AI from lesson planning and teaching to assessment and administrative management.广东省深圳市明德实验学校党委书记鲁江表示，该校已在备课、教学、评价及行政管理等多个环节全面引入人工智能。The school is refining AI curricula across different grade levels, he said. Primary students are introduced to AI through activities, while high school students are encouraged to delve into innovation and cross-disciplinary problem-solving, he said.他介绍，学校正在按学段完善AI课程体系，小学通过活动引导学生初识AI，高中则鼓励学生参与创新实践和跨学科问题解决。The curriculum will stress computing and design thinking, ethical training and practical skills development. The school plans to deepen its collaboration with research institutions such as The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and leading tech firms to build advanced AI laboratories and produce cutting-edge educational resources, Lu said.未来，课程还将加强计算思维、设计思维、伦理素养和实践能力的培养。鲁江说，学校还计划与香港中文大学（深圳）等科研机构和科技龙头企业加深合作，建设先进的AI实验室，打造前沿教育资源。According to Zhou from the education ministry, two guidelines have been drafted for AI education and use in primary and secondary schools, providing references for schools to adopt AI in a human-centered and ethically sound manner.周大旺指出，教育部目前已起草两份针对中小学人工智能教育和应用的指南，为学校在“以人为本”和伦理可控的前提下引入AI提供参考。transformation/ˌtrænsfəˈmeɪʃn/n.变革；转型curriculum/kəˈrɪkjələm/n.课程；课程体系cross-disciplinary跨学科的human-centered以人为本的

深セン日本人学校が入居するビル、２０２４年９月１８日、中国広東省深セン【香港時事】中国南部・広東省深セン市で昨年９月、日本人学校に登校中の男子児童、当時、が刺殺された事件で、故意殺人罪で死刑判決が確定した鐘長春死刑囚の刑が執行されたことが２１日分かった。 China has executed a man for the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen, southern China, in September last year, it was learned Monday.

The world's two largest powers are closer than ever to a full economic break. Why neither the United States nor China want to blink, and what it will take for China to survive the trade war.Read more: A week after President Donald Trump's “Liberation Day” tariffs roiled global markets, his administration put China in its crosshairs, with a 145 percent levy on Chinese imports. China countered by raising tariffs on all U.S. goods to at least 125 percent and by publicly casting the United States as an irresponsible global power. Today on “Post Reports,” The Post's China bureau chief, Lily Kuo, joins guest host Chris Velazco to explain how the trade relationship between the two countries got so hostile, how China plans to weather the storm, and how the rest of the world might feel the consequences of this game of chicken. And China correspondent Christian Shepherd brings us to an e-commerce expo in Shenzhen, China, where sellers are pledging to find a way through the tariffs. Today's show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Elana Gordon. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to Anna Fifield. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week on the Sinica Podcast, I chat with Yawei Liu, Senior Advisor for China at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and Yukon Huang, former China country head of the World Bank and now Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The show was taped live at the 2025 Columbia China Summit at Columbia University, put on by the Columbia University Greater China Society, on April 13,. Special thanks to them for inviting us to attend!3:53 – Columbia University's history with China 7:52 – How Beijing views the current trade war 11:32 – Yawei's idea of “the clash of misperceptions”18:18 – The actual origins of America's trade deficits and China's trade surpluses 23:14 – How the inevitable talk between Trump and Xi Jinping may play out32:04 – Sinophobia versus changing attitudes toward China 35:43 – How the current trade war is related to innovation in China 45:31 – How we can wage peace Paying It Forward: Nicholas Zeller and his Substack newsletter, The U.S.-China Perception MonitorRecommendations:Yawei: Americans in China: Encounters with the People's Republic ed. by Terry Lautz, and Chinese Encounters with America: Journeys That Shaped the Future of China ed. by Terry Lautz and Deborah DavisYukon: David Brooks' April 2022 article, “The End of Globalization: The Dominance of Global Cultural Wars” Kaiser: The Weimar Years: Rise and Fall 1918-1933 by Frank McDonough See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Huawei Ireland's 2024 'Seeds for the Future' winners have finished in the Global TOP3 in the prestigious Seeds for the Future - Tech4Good global final held in China. Team Anaphero, comprising five students, Tiarnan O'Rourke, University College Dublin; Ciara O'Reilly, Dublin City University; Dylan Hussain, Technological University of Dublin; Luke O'Sullivan, University College Cork and Eoin Creavin, University College Dublin emerged as 20 European Region champions in the 2024 edition of Seeds for the Future. Their innovative project focused on developing a wearable device that instantly alerts parents and caregivers when a child shows early signs of anaphylactic shock. Utilising sensors to detect allergic reaction symptoms, the device leverages 5G network and AI models for real-time analysis and connectivity. Speaking after the announcement of the results at Huawei's HQ in Shenzhen, Team Anaphero student representative Ciara O'Reilly and Dublin City University student said: "We are beyond thrilled to be honoured in this way and to win with this project. The team is incredibly grateful to Huawei for giving us this opportunity to visit China and compete on the global stage. We have had an incredible few days already and we are now looking forward to exploring more of this country which is rich in history and culture. We are also looking forward to continuing the development of our project with the support of Huawei and the start-up ecosystem they have given us access to." The team's journey to the global competition included attending the Tech4Good Accelerator Camp from April 7 to 10, which provided 10 hours of offline coaching and mentoring. On April 11, they pitched their innovative project live, securing their spot in the Global TOP 3. Team Anaphero also won the People's Selection Award, reflecting the widespread appeal and importance of their project. Speaking about the Tech4Good global competition, Baolin Liang, PR Manager, Huawei Ireland, said: "We are so happy for Team Anaphero and their success in this competition. Seeds for the Future has, since its inception in 2015, benefited more than 280 students from Irish universities through the unique learning and culture experience of the European competition. And now we carried this success through to the global competition. "The programmes in which we are involved - Seeds for the Future and TECH4GOOD - demonstrate our commitment to nurturing and developing today's students to think about the future of our society. We see this student opportunity as another way to help these students to enhance their capabilities as they continue their studies in STEM subjects. This year, for the Global competition, we are excited that we have had such an inspiring team representing Ireland in an atmosphere of learning and development". Seeds for the Future is Huawei's globally recognised Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) flagship programme, the longest-running CSR initiative across the world. Third-level students studying STEM subjects or Leaving Certificate students considering a third-level course in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) are eligible to apply. The aim of the programme is to develop local talent, share knowledge, increase ICT sector awareness & enthusiasm, and foster digital community building. For more information on Huawei's Seeds for the Future and Tech4Good, please visit: https://www.huawei.com/minisite/seeds-for-the-future/tech4good.html More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews....

Monte Carlo(s) Masters! Chris is back from Mallorca to join Joel and Kim to reflect on the past week in tennis, which saw Carlos Alcaraz claim his maiden Monte Carlo Masters Title on the ATP Tour against Italian Lorenzo Musetti. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic had a horrible week on the French Riviera with early defeat to his clay nemesis Alejandro Tabilo as did Grigor Dimitrov who suffered a double bagel loss at the hands of Alex de Minaur and his short shorts. Whilst it was an off week for many of the top players like Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka on the WTA Tour, an Emma Raducanu-less Great Britain side made their way through to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen joining the likes of USA, Spain and defending champions Italy.The trio also discuss the latest coaching changes, as former World number 1 Dinara Safina joins Diana Schnaider's team, Emma Raducanu considers Mark Petchey as her latest coaching option and there's rumour of Goran Ivanesevic joining the Stefanos Tsitsipas camp. There is also news that a certain Mr. Roger Federer is itching for a return to an exhibition tennis court which has got Joel wildly excited at the prospect of a Battle of the Surfaces 2 event against Rafael Nadal (one can dream right?). They also test their knowledge of recent WTA 1000 winners, make some daring clay court predictions and preview Stuttgart, Munich and Barcelona all taking place this week.Roland-Garros Hospitality with Sports, Travel and Hospitality GroupTo guarantee the best seats in the house with ticket-inclusive official hospitality, visit https://bit.ly/4j6RYBzSOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.MERCHPurchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute:Chinese Amazon Sellers Struggle Under 125% Tariffs -- Trump's latest tariff hike forces Shenzhen-based sellers to raise prices, cut U.S. investments, or exit the market entirely—reshaping global e-commerce strategies.Walmart Uses AI to Shrink Fashion Timeline to 6 Weeks -- Walmart unveils “Trend-to-Product” tech, using GenAI to turn global fashion trends into shelf-ready collections in under two months, boosting speed and style.DoorDash Launches Robot Deliveries in LA and Chicago -- Teaming with Coco Robotics, DoorDash deploys 1,000+ emission-free delivery bots to handle small orders—cutting emissions and speeding up local deliveries.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights. Be careful out there!

Huawei Ireland's 2024 'Seeds for the Future' winners start their visit to China to represent Ireland in the prestigious Seeds for the Future - Tech4Good global final. Team Anaphero, comprising five students, Tiarnan O'Rourke, University College Dublin; Ciara O'Reilly, Dublin City University; Dylan Hussain, Technological University of Dublin; Luke O'Sullivan, University College Cork and Eoin Creavin, University College Dublin emerged as 2024 European Region champions in the 2024 edition of Seeds for the Future. Their innovative project focused on developing a wearable device that instantly alerts parents and caregivers when a child shows early signs of anaphylactic shock. Utilising sensors to detect allergic reaction symptoms, the device leverages 5G network and AI models for real-time analysis and connectivity. Speaking at the opening ceremony in Beijing, Ireland's Ambassador to China, Dr. Nicholas O'Brien, said: "I congratulate Team Anaphero from Ireland for their wonderful achievement on becoming the Huawei Tech4Good European regional champions and reaching the global final in Beijing. Tiarnan O'Rourke, Ciara O'Reilly, Dylan Hussain, Luke O'Sullivan and Eoin Creavin have developed a truly impressive wearable medical device, a symbol of the creativity and innovation of young Irish people. I wish Team Anaphero the best of luck in the competition, and I hope they have a stimulating and productive visit here in China". From April 7 to 10, the students will attend Tech4Ggood Accelerator Camp, which involves 10 hours of offline coaching and office-hour mentoring sessions following the coaching. They will also experience Chinese culture and explore digital development in China. On April 11, they will pitch their project live to judges. If they win global #TOP3 or the people's selection award, their trip will be extended so that they can visit Hangzhou and Shanghai after being in Beijing and Shenzhen. Team Anaphero student representative Ciara O'Reilly and Dublin City University student delivered remarks at the opening ceremony: "As we now look forward to the week ahead, we are filled with excitement - not only to explore a country rich in history and culture, but also to engage with some of the most advanced technological ecosystem in the world. We're eager to learn, explore, and be inspired by what we experience here." In addition, Damian Gornik, alumna from the 2023 edition of Seeds, is selected as the 'Seeds Ambassador' in 2025. He will also be travelling to China, joining the journey of culture and technology exploration. Seeds for the Future is Huawei's globally recognised Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) flagship programme, the longest-running CSR initiative across the world. Third-level students studying STEM subjects or Leaving Certificate students considering a third-level course in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) are eligible to apply. The aim of the programme is to develop local talent, share knowledge, increase ICT sector awareness & enthusiasm, and foster digital community building. Speaking about the Tech4Good global competition, Baolin Liang, PR Manager, Huawei Ireland, said: "Since its inception in 2015, more than 280 students from Irish universities have benefited from the unique learning and culture experience of the European competition. The programmes that we are involved in - Seeds for the Future and TECH4GOOD - demonstrate our commitment to nurturing and developing today's students to think about the future of our society. We continue to invest in Ireland's future ICT workforce, and we see this student opportunity as another way to help these students to enhance their capabilities as they continue their studies in STEM subjects. This year, for the Global competition, we are excited that we have such an inspiring team representing Ireland in an atmosphere of learning and development". For more information on Huawei's Seeds for the Future and Tech4Good, please visit: https://www.huawei...

The 16:9 PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SCREENFEED – DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT The next plus-sized pro AV trade show on the annual calendar is InfoComm, coming up in mid-June in, yuck, Orlando, Florida. I'm always curious about what will be new and different with the show, and that's particularly the case in 2025, because there's a new person running things. Jenn Heinold joined show owner/operator AVIXA late last year as the Senior VP Expositions, Americas, so for the last several weeks she's been in drinking-from-the-firehose mode as she learns more and more about the industry, ecosystem and how people think about and use InfoComm. Heinold is a lifer in the trade show business, and while she has run tech-centric trade shows, pro AV is new to her. We had a really good conversation that gets into her impressions and thoughts about the industry, her perspective on ISE, the AVIXA co-owned sister show, and plans for what will be her first InfoComm in June - including what will be different and new. We also get into what, if anything, will be affected by all the trade and geopolitical turmoil that's bubbled up since the US presidency had its four year shuffle. Subscribe from wherever you pick up new podcasts. TRANSCRIPT Jenn, thank you very much for coming on. You've been on the job for how long now?  Jenn Heinold: I've been with AVIXA for just over three months. I joined in December as the Senior Vice President of Expositions for the Americas, and I'm over InfoComm in the U.S., which will be June 11th through the 13th in Orlando, Florida and then I'm also responsible for our new InfoComm America Latina launch event, which will be in October in Mexico City.  Did you know anything about the Pro AV sector before you got involved?  Jenn Heinold: No, honestly. I ran the largest satellite technology show in the U.S. for 15 years. So I've worked in technology, but Pro AV is different and I find myself now everywhere I go looking for display screens and how audio sounds. It's so fascinating how quickly you become immersed within the industry and you notice that it's everywhere and it makes our experiences better.  You'll be a display nerd in no time.  Jenn Heinold: I'm working on it. So have you always been in the trade show business?  Jenn Heinold: I have, yes, I dedicated my career to trade shows. I am super passionate about what happens in a face-to-face environment. I love the serendipity of it. I love that what I do helps businesses grow. The community aspect is amazing, right? Bringing people together with a common goal or challenge. The education that we can provide at trade shows. You can do a month's worth of meetings in three days. You can do a trip around the world in three days in some cases, right?  So I just love the format and really believe in what it can do for businesses and I'm excited to produce InfoComm. Because you had some background working with technology trade shows, has there been much of a learning curve? Setting apart the obvious that there are different companies and all that, but I guess their needs aren't all that dissimilar, are they?  Jenn Heinold: No, I think the commonality in working on technology shows is that you have the same structure where there are channel partners that are working to sell and integrate products, but then you also have all of the end users who use a specific technology. So I think it's important for us to be a forum for both Pro AV as well as our end-user audiences, and make sure that they each are fulfilled and feel welcome at the show and find value in the show.  You went to Integrated Systems Europe a few weeks ago, I saw you there. That was your first big Pro AV trade show, I assume, and I'm curious about your impressions.  Jenn Heinold: Oh, gosh, I was blown away by ISE. How could you not be? But for me, I was just so impressed by what the exhibitors did on the show floor. They really pulled out all the stops for ISE and the energy is amazing. It was so valuable for me to see the technology all together in real life, and then also to be able to meet with exhibitors here directly to know what are your strategic priorities for 2025 and beyond. Who should I be focusing on making sure that I have at the show, so it's the best for our exhibitors and our attendees alike?  I'm sure you were walking around with people like your boss Dave Labuskes both at ISE and InfoComm. Did you get some sense that ISE is its own thing? InfoComm runs differently. Yes, there are the same vendors and everything else, but apart from the obvious of Barcelona versus Orlando or Las Vegas, it does do things differently in some respects, at least. Jenn Heinold: Yeah, absolutely. I unfortunately don't yet have the comparison for InfoComm. I know what our plans are and what we're focusing on. ISE clearly has an amazing global footprint and InfoComm, while it is international, does skew a little bit more to North America just based on the location.  I think we at InfoComm have a much more training program and educational offering, which I really think is valuable. We need to not only nurture our current workforce and make sure that they have all the tools they need to succeed, but focus on the next generation as well, and I'm really proud that InfoComm does that. One of the things about ISE, as you said, there's not as much of a focus on training, there are certainly conferences and things like that, but it's more aimed at end users.  Do you find that you're getting exhibitors and other people saying, hey, it would be great if we had more end users if there was more kind of focus on that part of it, as opposed to, I sometimes refer to InfoComm is something of a gearhead show, and I don't mean that negatively, but it attracts the people who are going to go look at things like cable connectors and mounting infrastructure and so on and stuff that maybe somebody who's an experiential designer for a creative tech shop maybe doesn't care that much about. Jenn Heinold: Yeah. I will say that for 2025, we definitely are emphasizing the end-user audience. They are a key segment for us. Actually, one of the first things I did within my first week, Dave, was look at our end-user segments and compare what groups naturally grew when we were in Orlando versus Las Vegas, right? Just who organically was coming to the show and what I saw was a big increase in education when we're in Orlando, house of worship, retail, restaurants, and hospitality. None of this probably surprises you, but as we built out our marketing campaign, we've decided to really double down our investment on those segments that are organically growing in Orlando. I grew up in trade shows and marketing, so this has really been a passion project for me. Making sure that we have the right audience in InfoComm 2025 is my number one priority and I had to prioritize when I started at AVIXA so I had six months to really execute the show. So if there is one thing that I'm focused on day in and day out, it's the audience at InfoComm this year. When you say audience, are you hearing from exhibitors that they want to see more I end users or they want to see more partners because I think of an InfoComm as being a hyper-efficient way for a manufacturer to have a touch with a whole bunch of existing and potential resellers, and maybe not as worried about having like General Motors or some big retailer walking around.  Jenn Heinold: I hear both, Dave, and I think distributors and integrators are a super important part of the ecosystem, just as the end users are. We are putting more end users on Stage on the show floor this year, as well as within our conference program and I think, having the end users talk about how they are using AV technology only drives more end users to come to the show. That's what they want to hear, right? Uses cases of how they had successful installations, and how they have better employee engagement because of their conferencing and collaboration tools. We've got some retailers actually who will present how they're deploying AV technology in their stores, and what it's doing to improve their business. So we are making a real focus on that piece along with, of course, all the traditional content and certification we offer for the gearheads, as you said. I assume that's a bit of a tactic as well in, that if you invite, the Head of Digital for a big bank or big retail or whatever it may be to the show to do a speaking gig, there's a decent chance he or she is gonna bring some other people with them and then you've got people with big bank on the name tag walking around the show and you're able to talk about, look at the kinds of companies we're attracting. Jenn Heinold: That's absolutely a tactic. The other tactic is when we market to these end-user segments, and they go to our website, perhaps cold, having not really known much about InfoComm, and they see like-minded people on the website speaking, they realize it's an event for them too.  When you got involved, was there a discussion about how are things working right now? The old line about, if it ain't broke, don't fix it? Or were there things that you were told that are where we would like to grow, here's like where we would like to change things, that sort of thing?  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, I mentioned some of the deep dive I took into the show data when I first started. I also read the last five or so years' Exhibitor and Attendee Surveys. In reading those, one thing that bubbled up was just the onsite experience overall, and it is hard when you compare a U.S.-based show to an ISE at the Fira Barcelona is lovely and the food options are really healthy and great, and, unfortunately, we're a little bit behind in the United States on those things, but we are making  It's mind-blowing.  Jenn Heinold: It is a little embarrassing sometimes, but, I will tell you, I have already met with the team in Orlando. I actually was there about three weeks ago and talked about how we want to upgrade the food and beverage experience, have healthier options, and have more seating. So you will see an upgrade in the onsite experience as well.  That's something that we've done mindfully. When you have a better experience, you want to spend more time on the show floor, right? So, there's definitely another strategic priority for us.  Might as well talk about it now, I, people like me would be very happy if we never went to Orlando or Las Vegas again, and in the past, long before your time, InfoComm did move around a little bit. I remember the first one I went to was in Anaheim, and then it got in this rota of, back and forth between Orlando and Las Vegas.  Is that a finite thing or is that just how things are going to be?  Jenn Heinold: I don't think it's finite. The reality is InfoComm can fit in about five convention centers in the United States based on its size and Orlando and Vegas are two of them. Chicago could be an option, Atlanta, and New Orleans might work, but there are just not that many venues that can hold a show of our size, and also where the cities have the infrastructure to host us, so we are a little hamstrung that way.  I'm not opposed to looking at other cities. I think when we look at different cities, of course, we look at the cost structure. We look at the audience that is within a couple of hundred-mile radius and how accessible it is for air travel and everything else. I'm not opposed to it. We do have quite a few years booked already for Orlando and Las Vegas, but it's definitely something that I'm looking into.  If you come to the show, you'll see a lot of questions about our future cities and where we might be in the post-show survey, because it's something that I'd like to look into in the future. You've only been with AVIXA for three to four months, so you don't have a reference point for last year, but I'm going to ask anyway, what's going to be different this year with the show?  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, I mentioned our focus on the audience. That is a big priority for us. We always do local tours where you're able to see Avian Action. But this year I'm really proud that we're in Orlando. We've got a few new tours added to the schedule. One is, the Cirque de Soleil show behind the scenes in Disney Springs. We are going back to the University of Central Florida. We're also doing a large mega-church in Orlando for a house of worship tour. So we've added some fresh content there.  We also have a brand new panel discussion that we're launching this year called 2030 Vision. It will be moderated by Dave Labuskes, and we've got three visionaries from our industry, plus an end user up on stage to talk about what Pro AV look like in 2030, and what are the factors shaping our market. Our visionaries will be from Shure, Crestron, and Diversified. I'm really excited about having some different content models at InfoComm.  I talked earlier about the upgraded experiences. Again, we're really being mindful about making the event more comfortable and enjoyable to be a part of. I think in the last couple of years, AVIXA has really put a push on AVIXA Exchange and AVIXA TV. So I get a sense there's a lot more effort to educate the ecosystem and also use very modern ways to do it. It's not just the written word and case studies and so on. You're doing a lot of proper broadcast studio on-site at ISE and I assume probably something similar at Orlando.  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, absolutely. We'll have our AVIXA TV studios. The coolest thing about that, beyond being able to watch some of the interviews as they are recorded live, is that you get to see a fully functional broadcast studio on the show floor, right? You get to see how technology converges. It's not about just one box. It's about the whole solution and being able to present the whole solution is really special for us.  We've also got three stages. You mentioned AVIXA TV, that's more of a campfire format, right? So huddle around, and talk about different challenges that we're facing. We have our technology innovation stage which is really about highlighting new products that are coming to market and then we have our innovation Spotlight Stage and with the Spotlight Stage, we will have some exhibitors presenting thought leadership, but we also have some content partners there like Digital Signage Federation Plaza. We'll talk about lighting and staging. IABM will focus on the broadcast market opportunity and specifically the intersection of broadcast AV and IT. And FutureWorks who will talk about content creation.  Are you getting into some areas that - I saw at ISE that I didn't have enough time to really get over there and look at any, but it's enough just to get through those four days - but things like drones?  Jenn Heinold: We don't have a dedicated section of the show floor for drones. But certainly, there is some content about the use of drones projection mapping, and other applications.  What about the digital signage side? Through the years, AVIXA at InfoComm has tried to do “digital signage” pavilions, zones, and all kinds of things, and then in the last two to four years, I'm not sure of the number, you've worked with the Digital Signage Federation on a conference day called D Sign. Is that being replicated this year?  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, that'll return and we also have some content with Invidis who will cover a lot of digital signage as well so it's still a huge focus for us as part of the show. One of the attempts has always been to try to create an area thematically around it, but I've always told people that's super difficult because there are exhibitors who've been at that show for 10-20 years, and they have their spot. So it's hard to just say, okay, all of you digital science companies, you go over here, the audio people maybe do. Jenn Heinold: Yes. We don't have a dedicated pavilion for digital signage, but it gets back to our conversation earlier, Dave, I think it's a little bit less about one very specific piece of technology and more about the larger application and I think that's where our industry is going, and that's why really we can't box in those digital signage providers, right? Because they're doing so much more than just just a digital signage display.  Yeah, and that applies to just about any discipline these days that everything is cross-pollinating.  Jenn Heinold: Yes. So I think you'll see certainly some applications come to life at InfoComm 2025 and it'll be an even bigger part of our event design for 2026 where we are already having those conversations around what Infocomm 2026 looks like, which is really exciting. There was some noise at ISE around some of the major exhibitors, like notably Samsung, suggesting that they're not going to be at the show, that they're pulling their big stand, and this and that, and those were swatted down at the time, but I'm curious where that's at.  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, I personally speak to Samsung about every other week and they will be participating at InfoComm 2025. Will it be in the large booth presence that they have had in the past? Quite frankly, no, but, they will be there. They will have products on display. We welcome them and we're working with them to find the right marketing solution for what their needs are today and into the future as well. I find that weird because they had a massive presence at ISE and you would think they want to be there and if they're just doing whisper rooms, that sort of thing, it seems an odd decision. Is there something behind that? I read stuff about Korean politics or whatever, Korean government stuff that may be in the way of it. Jenn Heinold: I think that's a better question for them to answer, certainly, but they will do more than just a whisper room. They will have a presence at the show and we're working with them very closely on that. And they've been great partners. We want to continue to partner with them in a way that's mutually beneficial to both. Of course. Are you seeing some new exhibitors? Again, I respect that this is all new to you, but, some significant exhibitors coming into the InfoComm that maybe didn't do in the past.  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, I'm seeing, some more kiosk manufacturers. We're hearing more and more about that. Retail seems to be a really big end-user segment. That's a priority. We Just signed up AWS and they're bringing their equivalent of the Fire Stick for digital signage to the show. So those applications are fun to see and new for us.  We are always looking at a little bit of AI technology, we're always looking to make sure that we're introducing new and innovative technology to the show floor and one of the most fulfilling things for me is when you see those new tech come in and they might come in a 10 x 10 in the far corner of the hall and then they work their way there, work their way up, and have a bigger and bigger presence. Does your team do much coaching for some of the overseas exhibitors?  I'm particularly thinking about Chinese LED manufacturers who show up at these shows and it's always been a source of frustration and bewilderment for me that they'll spend a lot of money to bring all their tech over and bring a bunch of people over, and then when I wander into their booths and start asking questions, they don't tend to have many, if any people who can speak much in the way of English. So do your people coach them by saying, “Guys, if you're gonna do this, here's our advice!”  Jenn Heinold: We do.  It doesn't necessarily work?  Jenn Heinold: We do and we also try to help our exhibitors with their marketing campaigns and how to promote their presence at the show, and how to save money. A lot of the services are deadline-driven and talk through all of those things.  Yeah, we do that. We partner with sales agents as well that are in the country and we encourage them to work with their exhibitors as well as to coach them on exhibiting. I don't know if that is not necessarily working, but I do think it's a longer process because there are so many elements that tie into that. Yeah, and it's not easy to if you're in Shenzhen or Beijing or whatever, you just logically don't have a whole bunch of English-speaking people, but, I guess it's not that easy either to hire interpreters to come over and get questions thrown at them about chip on board and pixel pitch and things like that the interpreter is not going to understand either.  Jenn Heinold: That can be a challenge. We hire some interpreters for our own staff to help interact. And, yeah, it definitely can be a challenge. I do think we are so close. You travel internationally. I travel internationally and with Google Translate and so many new AI tools, I feel like we are so close to really having some breakthrough moments with that though. It's so much easier now.  Like the Facebook glasses, and there's some other ones out there where they can do real-time translation and it'll just show up on the lens, which would be amazing for just about anything I do once I leave this country or leave this continent. Jenn Heinold: Yeah, I see it too. I'm hopeful that'll really transform our shows.  I have to ask about the current political and economic climate with tariffs and everything else. How are AVIXA and InfoComm navigating their way through some of that?  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, I think it certainly comes up quite often. I mentioned that was doing a trip in South America, Mexico last week, and I think it's a concern for our exhibitors, and what we can do is just help support their efforts. I feel really confident that our exhibitors know how to run their business and know how to do it well, and they will pivot and make adjustments I have studied the AV industry over the last few months, having joined AVIXA and having seen how our industry navigated COVID and having worked for an organization that had multiple trade shows prior where I saw a lot of industries not navigate COVID as well as the AV industry, I'm super impressed with how agile and smart our exhibitors are.  I think this is just another challenge that we face. I have every confidence that we'll be able to navigate this too.  Do you have any sense of companies deciding, given everything that's going on, really don't want to travel to the U.S. right now?  I'm Canadian, so I suspect there's a whole bunch of people north of the U.S. border who are having second thoughts about, okay, do I really want to go to Florida right now or in June with all this stuff about Canada being the 51st state and so on. Jenn Heinold: Yeah, so right now, we haven't had a lot of pushback on traveling to the United States. We have been able to maintain the exhibitors on our show floor, but it's certainly something that I'm watching very closely.  As a show organizer, I do think it's our job to make sure that everyone feels welcome and that's what I'm focusing on.  Yeah, I think most Canadians like me, I've got a bazillion friends in the U.S. and I would miss them and everything else and I don't think they're the ones who are stirring the pot here. So it's just unfortunate.  Jenn Heinold: Yes, absolutely.  We'll just leave it at that, right?  Jenn Heinold: Yeah.  So tell me about Mexico City. I'm curious how you guys, not really rationalize that, but you have to counterbalance that. Okay. If you do a show in Mexico City for LATAM, does that siphon away some of what is in InfoComm US?  Jenn Heinold: I wasn't part of the initial launch conversations, but I will tell you having managed regional portfolios of shows, in my past life and now being part of a regional portfolio show, I really think that all ships rise with the tide, Dave, and having an event in the country and more specifically, the In the native language and being able to serve that community who may not be able to travel will only lift up and put calm in the U.S. as well. So I'm really excited about it.  The pride that the local community feels to have InfoComm in their backyard is really palpable and energizing. I'm proud that we're able to do the regional event, and I do think that it'll feed even more of the audience to InfoComm in the U.S. because in many ways it's a great introduction to the brand and we can say, now you experience this and please come to the U.S.  show as well.  Finally, I'm curious how things are tracking. I know that with ISE, I heard probably eight weeks out or something like that, it was going to be very busy, probably break records, and so on. I'm curious about what you're hearing or tracking for Orlando and also for Mexico City although I know Mexico is well out.  Jenn Heinold: Yeah, so for Orlando, our show floor is about 95 percent sold. We're targeting around 410,000 net square feet of exhibit space and for registrations, we're targeting 40,000 which is back to pre-pandemic numbers. Right now we're pacing really well. I'm watching it very closely, of course, and I'd love to check-in with you a little closer to the event and be able to share since we still have a few months to go. But all the indicators are really good for InfoComm in the U.S. We actually just added some hotel room nights because we were getting full with the hotels we're seeing our website traffic, pretty significantly year over year. We have to look at the full picture, but there are some really positive early indicators for InfoComm.  It's probably a bit too early to know much about Mexico City, right? Jenn Heinold: Mexico City's registration will open up in June, actually at InfoComm in the U.S. We've sold about 80% of the show floor. It's a much smaller show floor than InfoComm in the U.S., but I'm really happy with the early interest from exhibitors and support from the local community. We're hoping for about 5,000 attendees in Mexico City. All right. Thank you very much for giving me an update.  Jenn Heinold: Thank you. I really enjoyed our conversation.

Xi’an is famous for its terracotta warriors but still faces significant challenges in air pollution. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. In six of the 10 years between 2014 and 2023, Xi’an had the poorest air quality among China’s new top-tier cities, which are the most commercially attractive cities after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In 2023, the city ranked fifth from the bottom out of 168 key cities in China, having recorded harmful PM2.5 levels of 48 ug/m3 on average that year, much higher than the healthy limit of 5 ug/m3 recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). While there are improvements in air quality over the years - thanks to measures taken by the government, there is still a long way to go. The local residents, while they do not disregard the pollution, are more concerned with their financial situation. In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying speaks with ST correspondent Ang Qing - who shares her experiences being in Xi'an for three months, a city known for its terracotta warriors and its air pollution challenges. They also talk about the role of civic engagement and environmental activism in China, highlighting the efforts of young activists and their challenges advocating for change. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:03 Qing’s personal journey in Xi’an 5:54 The state of air quality in Xi’an 8:42 Government measures and community responses 11:34 Public perception and future challenges? 14:22 Qing's takeaways: Civic engagement and environmental activism in China Read Ang Qing’s article here: https://str.sg/JUC7c Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg) Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa — Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xi’an is famous for its terracotta warriors but still faces significant challenges in air pollution. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. In six of the 10 years between 2014 and 2023, Xi’an had the poorest air quality among China’s new top-tier cities, which are the most commercially attractive cities after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In 2023, the city ranked fifth from the bottom out of 168 key cities in China, having recorded harmful PM2.5 levels of 48 ug/m3 on average that year, much higher than the healthy limit of 5 ug/m3 recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). While there are improvements in air quality over the years - thanks to measures taken by the government, there is still a long way to go. The local residents, while they do not disregard the pollution, are more concerned with their financial situation. In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying speaks with ST correspondent Ang Qing - who shares her experiences being in Xi'an for three months, a city known for its terracotta warriors and its air pollution challenges. They also talk about the role of civic engagement and environmental activism in China, highlighting the efforts of young activists and their challenges advocating for change. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:03 Qing’s personal journey in Xi’an 5:54 The state of air quality in Xi’an 8:42 Government measures and community responses 11:34 Public perception and future challenges? 14:22 Qing's takeaways: Civic engagement and environmental activism in China Read Ang Qing’s article here: https://str.sg/JUC7c Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg) Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa — Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Sinica, I chat with Hazza Harding, a young Australian who began learning Chinese and made his way to China where he became a pop singer with hits on Chinese pop charts and a state media newscaster — and also lost his husband tragically, suffered through the COVID lockdowns while grieving for his loss. Yet he remains committed to furthering understanding and engagement, and has shown admirable resilience. Read his remarkable essay on his experiences here.6:51 – How Hazza started in China, and how his career changed throughout his time there 19:27 – Hazza's experiences feeling alienated in China 27:00 – Hazza's experience working in Chinese state media 34:04 – How China shaped Hazza and Wayne's love story, and how grief has shaped Hazza's perspective on life56:08 – The loveliness of everyday interactions 58:43 – Hazza's advice on giving oneself time and leniency 1:02:38 – How Hazza may find his way back to China in the future Paying It Forward: James Laurenceson at UTS Sydney Recommendations:Hazza: China Blonde: How a newsreader's search for adventure led to friendship, acceptance… and peroxide pandemonium in China by Nicole Webb Kaiser: The TV series Xi Bei Sui Yue (Into the Great Northwest) (2024 - )See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I chat with Jeffrey Ding, author of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers, a book that argues that a nation's ability to invent foundational technologies matters ultimately less in its overall national power than its ability to diffuse those "general purpose technologies," like electricity, digital technology, the internet, and — in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution — Artificial Intelligence. I ask Jeff whether he thinks that China, with its powerful tech companies and its new enthusiasm for open source, may at last be closing what his book identifies as a diffusion deficit.2:19 – Jeff's argument for the power of diffusion in technological leadership6:07 – China's diffusion deficit 12:09 – Institutional factors that affect technology diffusion, and how culture can also play a role 19:49 – China's successes in (non-GPT) diffusion 24:29 – China's open source push 29:55 – Discussing He Pengyu's piece on semiconductors 32:19 – How Jeff might tweak his chapter on China in a second edition of Technology and the Rise of Great Powers Paying It Forward: Matt Sheehan of the Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceRecommendations:Jeff: The TV series The Pitt (2025 - ); and James Islington's The Will of the Many Kaiser: The album Perpetual Change by Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks; and Steven Wilson's new album, The OverviewSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In dieser Episode werfen wir einen Blick auf die geopolitischenEntwicklungen rund um China, sowohl aus westlicher als auch aus chinesischer Perspektive. Wie nimmt China seine Rolle in einer sich verändernden Weltordnung wahr? Wir beleuchten, wie China nicht nur militärische „Hardpower“ einsetzt,sondern auch mit „Softpower“ – durch wirtschaftliche Initiativen wie die „Belt and Road Initiative“ (1B1R) – globalen Einfluss gewinnt. Welche Auswirkungen hat dies auf Afrika und andere Regionen, die die Lücken westlicher Hilfe wie USAID füllen? Und wie sieht China selbst seine geopolitischen Ziele?Ein wichtiger Teil der Diskussion ist auch, wie sich die Beziehungen zwischen Europa und China entwickeln. Was bedeutet die Entfremdung zwischen den USA und dem Westen für das Verhältnis Europas und China? Welche wirtschaftlichen, politischen und gesellschaftlichen Prioritäten haben die Menschen in China, und wie sehen sie die EU und die USA? Dabei gehen wir auch auf die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven zu Menschenrechten, sozialer Gerechtigkeit und wirtschaftlicher Entwicklung ein.Abschließend betrachten wir die Frage, wie Europa mit China umgehen sollte – pragmatisch und strategisch, um einelangfristige Partnerschaft zu fördern und dabei die eigene Autonomie zu wahren. Ziel ist es, ein differenziertes Bild von China zu zeichnen, das über die Mainstream-Narrative hinausgeht und auch die Perspektive der Menschen in Chinaeinbezieht.Gäste:Thomas Eder ist Post-Doc Researcher am Österreichischen Institut für Internationale Politik (ÖIIP). Zu seinen Forschungsschwerpunkten gehören: Chinas Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik, China und Völkerrecht, sowie europäische und US-amerikanische China-Politik. Er hat zu diesen Themengebieten zwei Bücher, und zahlreiche Artikel und Analysen verfasst und kommentiert regelmäßig in nationalen und internationalen Medien. Vor seiner Zeit am oiip, hat er bei internationalen Think Tanks, an den Universitäten Wien und Hongkong, und im österreichischen Außenministeriumgearbeitet. Er hat an der Universität Wien, der Peking Universität und der Universität Hongkong studiert, war Gastforscher an der Academia Sinica und der NYU, und hat in China mehrfach Feldforschung betrieben.Lukas Weber beschäftigt sich seit 20 Jahren mit China. Als studierter Sinologe setzte er sich auch in einem Philosophie- sowie einem MBA-Studium schwerpunktmäßig mit China auseinander. Sein Fokus liegt auf den kulturellen Unterschieden zwischen abendländischer und chinesischer Weltanschauung, deren Ausprägung in der heutigen Gesellschaft und die damit verbundenen politischen Implikationen. Neben seiner Arbeit für die Austrian Chinese Business Association verbrachte Lukas Weber mehrere Jahre in China, in denen er das Land quer durch alle Gesellschaftsschichten vom Wanderarbeiter bis zum Vorstand von Huawei kennenlernte, und in all seinen Facetten, von tibetischen Schafzüchtern bis zum Golfclub von Shenzhen zu durchdringen trachtete.Moderation:Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin des IIPDiese Folge wurde am 25. März mit der Unterstützung des Zukunftsfonds Österreich aufgezeichnet.

This week on the Sinica Podcast, I chat with Jeremy Garlick, Director of the Jan Masaryk Centre for International Studies, Prague University, and a scholar of China's international relations. Jeremy is the author of the book Advantage China: Agent of Change in an Era of Global Disruption, but the book we're talking about this week is his new Cambridge Element titled Evolution in International Relations. It's a fascinating attempt to apply ideas from evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, and archaeogenetics to further our understanding of how nations interact.6:13 – Why Jeremy decided to apply an evolutionary framework to IR 15:34 – Why evolutionary science hasn't really been integrated into IR19:32 – How Jeremy views his project as refining the IR field 22:43 – The risk of the misappropriation of Jeremy's work, and the evolutionary elements of cooperation and intergroup competition 28:54 – How to avoid the trap of viewing evolution as teleological 34:07 – The idea of self-domestication 39:55 – Morality and human rights 45:17 – How emotions affect decision-making and diplomacy 50:32 – Hierarchy and status-seeking in IR 56:56 – Applying an evolutionary framework to the IR phenomena of alliances, nuclear deterrence, and strategic balancing 1:01:31 – Altruism toward out-groups 1:05:57 – The inevitability of competition with China 1:08:19 – The intellectual challenges Jeremy faced while working on this project, and what he would develop further in the future1:12:51 – Jeremy's thoughts on what IR as a discipline should address, integrating evolutionary science Paying It Forward: Richard TurcsányiRecommendations:Jeremy: The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich; and The Expanse novels by James S. A. CoreyKaiser: Playground by Richard Powers See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpeningJordan Peterson. Ride or DieGrok vs GoogleGolfCalifornia BusinessMarketsS&P 8% off highs. Was 10% 1 week ago. So that was a correction Tesla 52%. Nvidia, Meta: 20%. Apple: 18%.Finance EducationSecurity. Digital Hygiene:  Great from Karpathy 2-factor authentication and strong password for financial websites. YubiKey. 1PasswordIRA Contributions401k Max: 2025: $23,500 + Employer Match + After-tax = $70,000Still can do $7000 in IRA.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and All-inFull Interview on X here.PalantirDOGEWebsite is GREAT!! www.doge.gov I had to google “Timor-Leste”Elon on what DOGE is finding.DOGE's spending cuts are ramping up so quickly that United Airlines announced government travel is down a MASSIVE -50%NetflixCNBC video here. MoffetNathanson Upgrades Netflix to $1100. “Netflix has won the streaming wars.Case closed”Nvidia Jensen Huang KeyNote at GTC 2025Nvidia working on driverless vehicle with GM!!   Video post here.Blue the robot. Robots are coming!!SpaceX Tesla$480. Now $230. Sow down 52%. So increase 1.1x or 110% to get back. Play at 0:30. Winner take most by Cathie Wood. $8-10 trillion in Revenue in 2030. ½ to platforms, like Tesla. Which is the biggest AI platform in the world.Dragon crew launch to ISS.Carried a russian cosmo.Stuck no More! WSJ 285 days in space. 9 months. No other US company can do this. 400th landing of Falcon 9 booster.  Will launch to Mars and carry Optimus. Crossover.Per Elon, SpaceX carries 95% of payload to orbit.Starship is the only “vehicle” currently built that can go to Mars. Boston Dynamics Robot - Break dancing. Yes its here. BYD. Sheer size of Shenzhen factory. University EndowmentsTrump threatening to suspend federal grants to Columbia University per WSJ.Play  Andreeson on University funding. RecommendationsAll-In Podcast. Chamath and Friedberg interviewing Secretary of Treasury Scott DictatorsWhite LotusElon Interview on Ted Cruz

Subscriber-only episodeWant to know what makes Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong unique? From fast-paced city life to delicious food and tech hubs, each city has its own charm. Join MaoMi Chinese+ to explore more! Please see transcript and translation via here.*Please be aware that Spotify does not support the membership program.Text me what you think :)

Every year, millions of young Chinese leave their hometowns to chase dreams in mega cities like Beijing and Shanghai. No family, no home, just hard work and uncertainty. Why do they do it? And what is life really like as a "漂" (drifter)? Let's dive into their world!Membership preview:Want to know what makes Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong unique? From fast-paced city life to delicious food and tech hubs, each city has its own charm. Join MaoMi Chinese+ to explore more! Join us on Tuesday 18th March!Don't miss out! Interested in joining the membership? ⬇️Support MaoMi & Get exclusive   to premium content!https://www.buzzsprout.com/1426696/subscribe ↗️Transcript and translations are available on https://maomichinese.comInterested in any topics? Leave me a message on: https://maomichinese.com or https://www.instagram.com/maomichinese/?hl=en*Please be aware that Spotify does not support the membership program.Text me what you think :)Support the show

This week, a special episode taped live at the University of California, Berkeley — my alma mater — on March 6 and featuring Jessica Chen Weiss of Johns Hopkins SAIS and Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution, both well-known to people who follow U.S.-China relations. This episode was made possible by the Center for Chinese Studies at UC Berkeley's Institute for Asian Studies, and will be available on video as well — I'll update with the link.5:32 – Looking back on the Biden administration's approach to China12:28 – Attempting to outline the new Trump administration's approach to China20:34 – The view from Beijing of Trump 2.026:54 – The Kindleberger Trap (and other "traps")29:35 – China, the U.S., and the Russo-Ukrainian war, and the idea of a “reverse Kissinger” 34:23 – The problem with framing objectionable Trump policy moves as ceding victories to China 36:51 – How countries in the Western Pacific region are responding to the new administration 38:48 – Taiwan's concerns for Trump's shift on Ukraine41:45 – Predictions for how the Trump administration will handle technology competition with China, and the apparent abandonment of industrial policy 48:14 – What the affirmative vision for U.S.-China policy should look like Paying It Forward:Ryan: Patricia Kim and Jon Czin at BrookingsJessica: Jeffrey Ding at George Washington University and Jonas Nahm at Johns Hopkins SAIS Recommendations:Jessica: The movie Conclave (2024)Ryan: Derek Thompson's piece in The Atlantic, “The Anti-Social Century,” and Robert Cooper's The Ambassadors: Thinking about Diplomacy from Machiavelli to Modern Times Kaiser: The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, I'm proud to announce a new collaboration with Trivium, a China-focused strategic advisory firm you've probably heard of. They've got offices in DC, London, Shanghai, and Beijing, and they focus on analyzing and forecasting Chinese policy developments for multinational companies and institutional investors across a range of verticals -- including macroeconomics, technology, automotive, resources, renewable energy, critical minerals, and green technology. They put out a terrific podcast each week, and you'll be able to listen to it here or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for the Trivium China Podcast.On today's show, you'll hear a half-hour chat between me and the two co-founders, Andrew Polk and Trey McArver, which we taped ahead of the Two Meetings — the NPC and the CPPCC. Then you'll hear a conversation between Andrew and his colleague Dinny McMahon, who you've heard on the show before in an episode we did on the digital yuan, talking about what came out of the Two Meetings.You'll be hearing from lots of the great folks at Trivium in coming episodes, so be sure to tune in.Beginning next week, or possibly sooner, we'll also be running a regular economy-focused roundup put together by Andrew and the team at Trivium. That will come out on Fridays.A warm welcome to Trey, Andrew, and all the excellent people at Trivium!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week: Part 2 in a series of podcasts in conjunction with the China Research Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The series, titled "Studying China in the Absence of Access: Rediscovering a Lost Art," ran from September to November 2021, and featured four eminent "Pekingologists," or specialists in Chinese elite politics: Joseph Fewsmith, Thomas Fingar, Alice Miller, and Fred Teiwes. The talks were later published in a volume you can download here. The series is introduced by Andrew Mertha, George and Sadie Hyman, Professor of China Studies and director of the SAIS China Research Center, and each lecture includes a moderated discussion with Andy. After this series, I'll also be sharing with you a second series of lectures titled "Studying China from Elsewhere," which will include talks by Maria Repnikova, Mike Lampton, William Hurst, and Maggie Lewis — many of whom Sinica listeners will know from the show.Alice Lyman Miller is a leading scholar of Chinese politics and foreign policy. A research fellow at the Hoover Institution and lecturer in East Asian Studies at Stanford University, she previously served as an analyst at the CIA and editor of China Leadership Monitor. Miller's work has been instrumental in decoding the opaque world of Chinese elite politics, with a particular focus on political discourse and leadership transitions. Her major publications include Becoming Asia: Change and Continuity in Asian International Relations Since World War II (2011).Joseph Fewsmith is one of the foremost experts on contemporary Chinese politics, known for his in-depth analysis of political reform, elite competition, and policy shifts under the Chinese Communist Party. A professor of international relations and political science at Boston University, Fewsmith has authored seminal books such as China Since Tiananmen: The Politics of Transition (2001) and Rethinking Chinese Politics (2021), which challenge conventional wisdom on China's political system. His work blends rigorous historical analysis with close readings of official discourse. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica: February 24 marks the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and as I've done for the last two years, I moderated a panel organized by Vita Golod, a Ukrainian China scholar who happens to be here in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at UNC as a visiting scholar. She's worked tirelessly to promote awareness of the war, and I'm honored again to have been asked to moderate this panel.The guests you'll hear from are:Dr. Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova, Director of the China Studies Centre at Riga Stradins University in Latvia. Fluent in Chinese, Russian, and English, she has collaborated with scholars like Kerry Brown of King's College London and has done extensive work on China's role in Europe and beyond.Dr. Dmytro Yefremov, Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at the National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" in Ukraine. A board member of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists, he specializes in China's foreign relations and has traveled extensively to China, providing firsthand insight into Ukraine's perspective on China's role in the war and beyond.Dr. Qiang Liu, Director of the Energy Economics Division at the Institute of Quantitative & Technical Economics within the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). He also serves as the Co-chair and Secretary-General of the Global Forum on Energy Security. His research focuses on energy security, energy economics, and policy, with a particular emphasis on China's Belt and Road Initiative and its global energy partnerships.Dr. Klaus Larres, Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor of History and International Affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An expert on transatlantic relations, U.S., German, and EU foreign policy, and China's role in the post-Cold War order, he has a profound interest in the history of the Cold War and the politics of Winston Churchill.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I chat with David Zweig, a veteran China scholar who is Professor Emeritus from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We discuss Davis'd latest book, The War for Chinese Talent in America, which looks at Chinese efforts to harness the intellectual firepower of Chinese scientists and engineers who studied abroad, especially in the United States, and bring them — or at least their knowledge —back to China. David's book takes a balanced look at both the very real problems generated by Chinese policies as well as the overreaction by the U.S. Department of Justice in the form of the infamous China Initiative. 3:40 – Why got David interested on this particular topic 7:07 – The diaspora option12:09 – The Thousand Talents Program/Plan18:28 – How the talent programs operate23:48 – Motivations for Chinese to participate in the talent programs, how geopolitics now impacts these decisions, and what the effect of the China Initiative has been on collaboration 36:29 – The China Initiative's climate of fear and the concern for racial profiling 49:40 – The extent of the validity of U.S. security concerns57:24 – David's suggestions for balancing national security interests and open scientific exchange Paying It Forward: Dan Lynch and his book, China's Futures: PRC Elites Debate Economics, Politics, and Foreign PolicyRecommendations:David: It's a Wonderful World — The Louis Armstrong Musical in New YorkKaiser: The Invention of Yesterday: A 50,000-Year History of Human Culture, Conflict, and Connection by Tamim Ansary, especially the audiobook read by the authorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'm delighted to bring you today the first in a series of conversations from a remarkable day-long session put on by the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs, or ACF, at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The session was held on Monday, February 3, and was called “Getting China Right.” On today's show, we've got U.S. Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey, one of the best-informed and sensible legislators focused on China today. He'll be in conversation with James Steinberg, dean of SAIS, who also served as Deputy Secretary of State from 2009 to 2011. You'll hear introductory remarks from Jim and from Jessica Chen Weiss, inaugural faculty director ACF and David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at SAIS, who listeners certainly know from her appearances on Sinica. More to come in this series, so stay tuned! Please enjoy Senator Kim's very thoughtful remarks.Watch the morning sessions on YouTube here.The Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF) of the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) was established in 2024 to add rigor and reason to public and policy discussions on China and the range of domestic and international issues that intersect China's global role, bringing together experts and practitioners to foster informed public dialogue, promote evidence-based research, and support the next generation of scholars and practitioners. ACF was founded with the support of Johns Hopkins University and philanthropic contributions from across the United States.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Sinica, I chat with economic historian Andrew B. Liu of Villanova University about how to understand Trump's thinking on China and tariffs. Andy wrote about this in an excellent piece on N+1 called "Back to the 80s? Trump, Xi Jinping, and Tariffs." Check it out and then listen to the show!3:59 – How the U.S.'s current trade anxieties echo those of the ‘80s9:34 – How Cold War geopolitics shaped U.S.-Japan trade relations18:23 – The lessons China learned from Japan's experience and how it has shaped its recent economic strategy 21:03 – What Xi Jinping's vision for the Chinese economy actually looks like 34:26 – Why China is favoring a more Ford-like model of industrial structure41:28 – Michael Pettis's ideas from Trade Wars Are Class Wars and points of critique 52:44 – The Trump administration's use of tariffsPaying It Forward: Viola Zhou's reporting on Rest of World (especially her piece on Foxconn in India) and Dong Yige Recommendations:Andrew: Hetty Lui McKinnon's Substack for vegan modern Cantonese recipes Kaiser: The Substack of the Carter Center's U.S.-China Perception Monitor; and the essay “The new frontline: The US-China battle for control of global networks” on the Transnational Institute websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week as we enter the Year of the Snake, Sinica co-founder Jeremy Goldkorn makes a re-appearance on the show. It's been a year since his last, and much has changed — and indeed, if Jeremy is right, we may be at an inflection point in American attitudes toward China. With the "TikTok Refugees" on Xiaohongshu or "RedNote" taking in a view of China that contrasts starkly with the image presented by the U.S. Government and by many American media outlets, and with DeepSeek now having upended some ideas about American tech primacy, the "vibes" on China among young people seem to have changed for the better. Will it endure? Jeremy and I plunge into that question on this week's episode of the Sinica Podcast.2:55 – What Jeremy has been up to lately 4:19 – What has been driving the recent narrative/vibe shift in China discourse in the U.S., and why human rights rhetoric around Xinjiang has died down 14:11 – Whether the narrative/vibe shift will be long-lasting and the role of young people in driving it 23:06 – Predictions for future changes within China29:40 – The concern that the narrative/vibe shift could go too far, or that the copium will overwhelm the positive of the shift 33:24 – Previous narrative shifts around freedom of speech, the internet, and China, and technological innovation 43:57 – What recent developments reveal about Chinese soft power, and Jeremy's predictions for how everything will play out 49:34 – Whether the narrative/vibe shift will change how American politicians talk about China, and the Chinese government has reacted to the shift so farPaying It Forward: Savannah Billman's Career China email newsletter Recommendations:Jeremy: Paul Cooper's Fall of Civilizations podcast series; David Kidd's Peking Story: The Last Days of Old China; and The 404's podcast interview with a PornHub exec (which includes discussion of real-name registration requirements) Kaiser: The TV miniseries American Primeval (2025) on Netflix; and Paul Triolo's Substack See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While the mainstream headlines often focus on the Magnificent Seven, we're diving into a global powerhouse that often flies under the radar — Tencent. Based in Shenzhen, China, Tencent is a giant in gaming, social media, and cloud services. From the creation of WeChat—a super-app with over a billion monthly users—to investments in companies like Tesla, Spotify, and Snapchat, Tencent's story is one of relentless innovation and strategic dominance.  Since its IPO in 2004, shares of Tencent have increased by nearly 500 times, producing an average annual return of 35% per year. To help cover the story of Tencent, Clay will be sharing what he learned from the book Influence Empire by Lulu Chen. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:54 - Tencent's journey from IPO to becoming a global tech powerhouse. 05:28 - Lessons from Pony Ma's leadership and Tencent's strategic vision. 18:33 - How Tencent's investments shaped global tech innovation and growth. 31:12 - The evolution and impact of WeChat as a transformative super-app. 49:11 - Insights into Tencent's dominance in the gaming industry. 57:15 - Challenges of navigating Chinese regulations and political risks. 01:08:47 - Tencent's role in AI, cloud services, and strategic share buybacks. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Chen's book: Influence Empire. Email Shawn at shawn@theinvestorspodcast.com to attend our free events in Omaha or visit this page. Related Episode: Listen to TIP661: Betting Big on China & Lessons from Bear Markets w/ Richard Lawrence. Related Episode: Listen to TIP636: Billionaire Investing Legend Li Lu w/ Clay Finck. Related Episode: Listen to TIP682: Buffett's Early Investments. Follow Clay on Twitter. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Found Netsuite Unchained Vanta The Bitcoin Way Fintool PrizePicks TurboTax HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Happy Chinese New Year! This week, while I'm decompressing from 10 days in the Alps, my friends at the Asia Society of Switzerland have graciously offered to let me share a podcast recorded just after the U.S. presidential election in November at their annual State of Asia event. "The State of China" features three terrific guests: Wang Qing (王卿), the host of the popular Chinese podcast "The Weirdo" (不合时宜), Zichen Wang of the Center for China and Globalization, and Adam Tooze, one of the truly great public intellectuals of our time. It's all skillfully moderated by the South China Morning Post's Europe editor, Finbarr Bermingham, and it covers a lot of ground. I'll be back next week in conversation with my dear friend Jeremy Goldkorn, and we'll be asking (and answering) the big question — Are we in the middle of a narrative shift on China?May the Year of the Snake be prosperous and full of happiness and success for all you Sinica listeners!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, I bring you the first in a series of podcasts in conjunction with the China Research Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The series, titled "Studying China in the Absence of Access: Rediscovering a Lost Art," ran from September to November 2021, and featured four eminent "Pekingologists," or specialists in Chinese elite politics: Joseph Fewsmith, Thomas Fingar, Alice Miller, and Fred Teiwes. The talks were later published in a volume you can download here. The series is introduced by Andrew Mertha, George and Sadie Hyman, Professor of China Studies and director of the SAIS China Research Center, and each lecture includes a moderated discussion with Andy. After this series, I'll also be sharing with you a second series of lectures titled "Studying China from Elsewhere," which will include talks by Maria Repnikova, Mike Lampton, William Hurst, and Maggie Lewis — many of whom Sinica listeners will know from the show.This week's talk is from FrederickTeiwes, truly a legend in the field. The American-born Australian sinologist is best known for his analysis of Chinese Communist Party elite politics. He served as a professor emeritus in Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney until his retirement in 2006. Teiwes has frequently collaborated with Warren Sun, producing seminal works such as The Tragedy of Lin Biao (1996) and China's Road to Disaster: Mao, Central Politicians and Provincial Leaders in the Great Leap Forward, 1955-59 (1999). In this talk, he focuses on forthcoming work on the transition following Mao Zedong's death in 1976.Great thanks to Andy and to Hasta Colman, who first suggested this collaboration when we met in Shanghai recently.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.