Financial analyst  Victor Shih dives into China’s fiscal policies. Most of the country’s expenditure has traditionally been only for a marginal percentage on consumption, but on government investments. So, while consumption has gone down, the way to push the economy ahead is not to encourage consumption, but government spending, he argues. He turns against the current government policy of austerity at local governments; it should move in the opposite direction, he argues at the Asia Society, Northern California chapter.Read More →

Ask Chinese consumers what their leading platform is for purchases, both domestically and internationally, and they will point at the Xiaohongshu, or Little Red Book, as it is called in English. It offers a lead against competitors like Douyin and is a leading source for travellers, although only available in Chinese. “Xiaohongshu wants you deep in niche rabbit holes with people who care about the same weird stuff you do. “This isn’t just a slogan change,” says branding expert Ashley Dudarenok in Campaign Asia, “it’s Xiaohongshu cementing its moat against rivals like Douyin.”Read More →

The number one mistake the West has about China is that China wants to replace the US as the leading global force, says China veteran Kaiser Kuo in an extensive interview in the Smart Cookies Episode. But that is only one of many misunderstandings.Read More →

China’s consumers are dramatically changing their spending habits, says business analyst Shaun Rein at CNBC. They might not spend on EVs and real estate, but they are sitting on massive savings and will spend when they see the value. Why is Legoland winning the fight for the Chinese consumer, while Starbucks is losing it? Why do they enjoy holidays in mainland China, rather than Thailand or Europe?Read More →

Many observers wrongly see the current trade war between China and the US as a Cold War 2.0, says political analyst Arthur Kroeber, author of China’s Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know® in an interview with Dwarkesh Patel. If American politicians started this war without seeing the difference from a cold war, it might be tough to bring it to an end, he adds.Read More →

In the US, the tension between science and politics has been raising eyebrows. In China, politicians do invite scientists to listen to their arguments and might follow their suggestions. Still, sometimes political preferences in Beijing prevail, for example, during the Covid crisis, says political analyst Victor Shin, author of Factions and Finance in China: Elite Conflict and Inflation, in his interview at Dwarkesh Clips.Read More →

The Trump administration is pretty clueless on China, and that is only one of many issues when both countries are going to deal with each other, says leading economist Arthur Kroeber, author of China’s Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know, in an interview with the Australian broadcaster ABC. Both can inflict huge damage on each other, but neither is in a position to win a full-blown trade war, he adds.Read More →

China veteran Kaiser Kuo has spent a lifetime explaining what America and Europe misunderstand when dealing with China. In an interview with Michael Walker, he dives into the most important issues. “The West lacks a coherent approach to China, with America viewing it as an existential threat whilst Europe oscillates between paranoia about espionage and courting investment. Politicians across both continents share a superficial understanding of the world’s most important rising power.”Read More →

Innovation expert Ashley Dudarenok says human programmers will still be needed in her vlog. But AI is already replacing a range of jobs in China. For example, Alibaba introduced its first AI employee, Tongyi Lingma, last summer, and it made huge inroads into the work process, she notes.Read More →