Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Olivia Plotnick, a Shanghai-based social media and marketing entrepreneur, who recently completed a marketing research project spanning 30 cities in 60 days in China. The conversation attempted to answer the question: How’s China’s economy faring? Has the trade war’s impact been felt on the ground? How are consumers spending their money? Olivia’s findings of health & fitness, tourism, beauty, and youth trends challenge conventional wisdom and offer surprising in...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Wang Xiangwei, former editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post (SCMP), about covering China over the last three decades, as well as Hong Kong after 2019. Wang led the expansion and digital transformation of SCMP's China coverage, striving to provide insider, balanced, and insightful reporting amid complex political pressures from both Beijing and Hong Kong, all while maintaining editorial independence. He witnessed and navigated Hong Kong’s changing political...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks to Rui Ma of Tech Buzz China about the divergence in AI development and cultural attitudes between China and the US. Driven by its strong manufacturing capabilities, China deeply integrates robotics with AI, focusing on practical, cash-flow-positive applications like service robots for food delivery or pool cleaning, rather than advanced "sci-fi" level projects. The Chinese government maintains a techno-optimist and encouraging stance toward AI, which, combined with a so...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with the UK-based macroeconomist, Kelvin Lam, a long-time China observer, about the current state of China’s economy. The conversation highlights several issues, including the challenges in the property sector, the country’s transition towards a high-tech economy, and the need to boost domestic consumption. The discussion also touches on the issue of inequality, the phenomenon of involution (over-competition within industries), and the future outlook for China's economic...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Carl Wegner, President of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taiwan, about the implications of Trump 2.0's policies for Taiwan. The conversation highlights that beyond tariffs, American businesses also worry about energy stability, lack of a US-Taiwan double-taxation treaty, Taiwan's aging population, and geopolitical dynamics. Wegner explains that despite the uncertainty, American investment in Taiwan continues to be strong, with a survey showing over 70%...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Bryce Whitwam, a seasoned marketing professional with extensive experience in Asia, including 17 years in China, where he led major advertising agencies and founded his own. Bryce highlights the "seismic shift" in marketing and consumer behavior brought about by the rise of multifunctional digital platforms such as WeChat, Taobao, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu (also known as Red Note). The conversation also covers the rise of Chinese domestic brands, a phenomenon known as...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Professor Philip Hsu 徐斯儉 of National Taiwan University about the intricate political landscape of Taiwan, focusing on the 7/26 recall elections, public opinion regarding identity and relations with China, and the evolving dynamics of Taiwan's relationship with the U.S. Taiwan is the flashpoint where technology, business, and geopolitics intersect. A deeper understanding of this island nation and its dynamic political forces—especially through the lens of Taiwan-Chin...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Ethan Tu (杜奕瑾), founder of Taiwan AI Labs, Asia's first open AI research institution. Taiwan AI Labs is dedicated to advancing AI through open algorithms, open-source code, and federated learning, an approach that enables collaborative machine learning without centralizing data, thus preserving privacy and preventing monopolies. Ethan's career includes founding Taiwan's first Chinese-language search engine, Yam, and the first social media platform, PTT (批踢踢). He lat...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Jett Chen, founder of Semi Vision, a Taiwan-based semiconductor industry research institution providing comprehensive insights into the semiconductor ecosystem. With a family business specializing in semiconductor packaging, Jett observes how AI advancements are transforming the startup ecosystem in Taiwan. Jett discusses the complexities of semiconductor manufacturing, the importance of packaging, and the emerging opportunities for startups in AI. Jett also address...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Bill Russo, an auto industry expert with a lifelong career in Detroit and China (Chrysler), about China's rapid rise to become the world leader in automobile manufacturing, sales, and exports, as well as the global leader in new energy vehicles, batteries, and the "internet of mobility." 00:00 China's Automotive Revolution 02:29 Bill Russo's Journey in the Auto Industry 04:31 The Growth of China's Auto Market 11:22 The Shift from Foreign to Chinese Domestic Br...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Zak Dychtwald, author of Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World. Dychtwald, a leading expert on China's market and workforce, discusses the dangers of underestimating Chinese competition and how negative perceptions and a poor understanding of Chinese businesses and their innovations can lead to misguided global business strategies. Dycktwald emphasizes that China's market is not only significant for its economy bu...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Yanzhong Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations about the impact of the second Trump term on American soft power and the possibility of China filling the resulting void. The conversation delves into the late Harvard Kennedy School Professor Joseph Nye's concept of soft power, the importance of education and foreign assistance, the U.S. pivot to hard power, and China's growing global leadership. 00:00 The Legacy of Professor Joseph Nye and Soft Power 02:18 Guest Y...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Payhuan Shiao, founder & CEO of Immortal Studios. A Hollywood native, Payhuan has been at the center of the Hollywood-China filmmaking industry for the last three decades. Amid escalating trade tensions, including Trump's 100% tariffs on foreign films and China's import limits on American movies, is the decades-long, fluctuating Hollywood-China collaboration nearing its end? Beyond trade, factors such as China's growing suspicion of foreign influence, stricter c...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Andy Rothman, a veteran Chinese economy observer, about his recent trip to China amidst tariff escalations. Andy shares firsthand accounts from entrepreneurs in Xiamen, American businessmen in Shanghai, and policymakers in Beijing. His key observation: not anger, but bewilderment. 00:00 Trump 2.0 Tariffs and China’s Reactions So Far 01:11 Guest Introduction: Andy Rothman 04:08 Reactions from Hong Kong 08:52 Entrepreneurs in Xiaman: Bewilderment Over Tariffs 16...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Yao Zhao, founder of 50 Hertz Tingly Foods and a former World Bank clean energy specialist, about the impact of tariffs on his Sichuan pepper-infused food and beverage import business. Yao discusses launching his company during the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for potential Trump 2.0 tariffs, managing cash flow amid rising costs, and the significance of supplier relationships. The conversation also covers consumer engagement, cost mitigation strategies, and Yao's ex...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Ken Wilcox, author of The China Business Conundrum: Ensuring Win Win Doesn’t Mean Lose Twice, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB, 2001-2011) and Vice Chairman of SVB’s joint venture in Shanghai (SSVB) until 2019. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Ken characterizes the complexities of the joint venture project as "one bed two dreams," a key reason why Silicon Valley Bank’s project with Shanghai Pudong Developme...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Ker Gibbs, author of Selling to China and former Chairman and President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai about his decades of experience navigating the evolving U.S.-China economic relationship—including the pivotal shifts that began during the first Trump administration. He highlighted the pivotal shift that occurred during Trump’s first term: Many American companies initially greeted Trump’s unique approach with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, wo...

Host Wenchi Yu speakers with Marc Hijink, author of The ASML Way and a Dutch business journalist. Marc compares ASML to the "oven of the bakery" in its pivotal role within the semiconductor industry. The company's unique position in manufacturing EUV machines creates an exceptionally high barrier to entry despite recent reports of EUV technology breakthroughs in China. Marc believes ASML's success is deeply rooted in its corporate culture, which serves as a secret sauce that is difficult to r...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks to Konrad Young 楊光磊. Trained as an engineer in Taiwan and the US, Konrad’s life journey mirrors Taiwan’s semiconductor history. As one of the six “R&D knights,” Konrad retired from TSMC in 2018. He was an independent director of SMIC from 2019 to 2021 and an advisor to Intel. He started his career at MIT Lincoln Lab. After President Trump’s White House announcement of TSMC’s $100 billion investment in the U.S. on March 3rd, reactions in Taiwan have been mixed. Many ...

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Jeremy Chih-Cheng Chang 張智程, a global semiconductor policy expert from the Taipei-headquartered think tank, DSET (Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology) 科技民主與社會研究中心. DSET recently published the report: Walking a Tightrope: Navigating Taiwan-U.S. Semiconductor Security Under Trump 2.0. [00:00:04] Background: Trump's TSMC $100 Billion Investment Announcement [00:01:39] Guest Jeremy Chang [00:05:47] Japan’s Semiconductor Industry Po...