Today we'll be examining the argument of a prominent Chinese scholar that China has built too much High-Speed Railway that is underutilised, unprofitable, and will cause major economic problems in the future. We ask why the state-government would pursue such a misguided policy, and how it's beginning to affect the rest of the world too. Read Lu's original essay here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-iBh9BPpi7kl2BGhkGWHaw Chapters (00:00) Introduction - HSR and white elephants (05:00)...

Hangzhou is a city once famed for its poets, tea, and silk, but it’s now capturing attention for something entirely different: AI labs, robotics startups, and IPO-hungry tech firms. The rapid rise of innovative and globally competitive tech startups has led to Hangzhou being dubbed “China’s Silicon Valley.” But not everyone agrees that the comparison is so black and white. Chapters (00:00) Introduction - Hangzhou (02:15) Historical role of Hangzhou (03:28) A bit on Alibaba (09:45) How ...

Starbucks recently announced that it's looking to sell part of its stake in its China operations, and is looking for a domestic partner to help boost the company's profile. This comes at a time when a host of foreign firms are seemingly struggling in China after years of riding the wave of the rising middle class. What are the main factors leading to these struggles? What are these brands missing? And what can they do to reverse their fortunes? Chapters (00:00) Introduction - The Starb...

A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 9th June. We look at how rare earth minerals may be the deciding factor in this trade war and potentially all trade wars to come. We look at an interview with Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei who states that Chinese chips are still behind the US and more 'basic research' is needed'. And we catch up with some of the latest developments in Hong Kong regarding the national security law. Links: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-s...

We take a thorough look at the nature of soft power, how it can be used, and whether or not a country truly needs it to explore China's soft power deficit and what can be done to fix it. While China does have SOME soft power, arguably its lack of the charm of its neighbours and rivals means its culture and ideology is often met with suspicion or outright rejection. This can lead to difficulties when interacting on the global stage, for example when it comes to pandemic management, border rela...

A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 2nd June. China accuses the US of trying to reverse the temporary trade truce in place, affecting the future of Chinese students in the US. Also, China's twist on Klarna and why the UK is choosing to For the full version please head over to Buy Me a Coffee and consider becoming a supporter today for as little as £5: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sinobabblepod Links: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/us-revoke-c...

A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 12th May. Will China be the main beneficiary of the clashes between India and Pakistan? Also, we find out where all those stolen iPhones end up, and whether or not China replacing the US as a global health leader is a good thing or a bad thing. Links: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311270/china-urges-trust-cooperation-pakistan-afghanistan-regional-tensions-mount https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1w3dln...

In January of this year, Chinese actor Wang Xing went viral after being kidnapped in Thailand having travelled for what he thought was a job opportunity, only to be rescued after his girlfriend made a post begging for the authorities to help. After a 4 day ordeal, Wang made a dramatic TV appearance alongside Thai police, with his head shaved but otherwise seemingly unscathed. Wang’s case shed light on an issue that had been getting little coverage in the national press. To date, over 3,000 C...

A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 12th May. We discuss the outcome of the China-US tariff deal and how no one in China seems to really care. Starbucks is losing out to domestic coffee brands as its lack of strategy and reliance of hollow premium branding fall flat. Also, Xi's success with Latin American and Caribbean countries, and China's role in the India-Pakistan dispute. For the full version please head over to Buy Me a Coffee and consider becoming a supporter...

Apologies for the late upload for this one! A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 5th May. We discuss the upcoming scheduled talks between US and Chinese representatives in Switzerland to move towards a resolution on the trade war, as well as Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow ahead of the Victory Day parade. Links: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/08/xi-jinping-vladimir-putin-china-russia-kremlin https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3309454/xi-jinpi...

A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 28th April. We discuss the CIA's attempt to recuit spies in the Chinese government, China's plans for an AI dominated future, and why China is annoying South Korea once again. #china #chinanews #AI #USChina Support the show Sign up for Buzzsprout to launch your podcasting journey: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=162442 Subscribe to the Sinobabble Newsletter: https://sinobabble.substack.com/ Support Sinobabble on Buy me a...

This is a rant video about the 'expert' 'analysis' coverage of the China-US trade war/tariff skirmish. There is no analysis or even coherent thought process here. This is basically just my train of thought about why it's a bad idea to try and predict the future. I try and relate it to Fukuyama as well, I don't know, just listen and have your own opinions. "The End of History?" Francis Fukuyama: https://pages.ucsd.edu/~bslantchev/courses/pdf/Fukuyama%20-%20End%20of%20History.pdf Chapters&nbs...

This is last week's news analysis episode. For the most recent episode head over to Buy Me a Coffee and become a member to get the episodes as soon as they come out! A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 21stApril. We discuss mysterious Deepseek news and some of China's latest diplomacy moves in Asia. While China claims it wants peace and even allyship with its Asian neighbours, its actions often seem contrary to its words. Links: https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends...

First episode in a new series where I go through some trending news stories in China and analyse their impact. This version is from last week, for the most recent episode head over to Buy Me a Coffee and become a member to get the episodes as soon as they come out! A discussion of trending China news articles published in w/c 14th April. We discuss how the tariff war between China and the US is spilling into different industries, and how some manufacturers are suffering unexpected consequence...

A billionaire with a lavish property portfolio promises to save the US from the evil clutches of the Chinese Communist Party, partnering with right-wing media figures to attract thousands of followers, only to be revealed as a criminal whose businesses scammed fans of hundreds of millions of dollars. Have you figured out who we're talking about yet? That's right, it's Guo Wengui (Miles Guo? Guo Haoyun?)! After a period of self-imposed exile, mysterious Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui begins attract...

When we talk about the making of modern China, no name looms larger than Deng Xiaoping. But despite the heavy media bias and weighty political legacy China's architect carries, he did not build modern China alone. In fact, he cannot claim sole responsibility for coming up with the most iconic ideas that shaped China's future, like Special economic zones and new systems of economics. Some of the credit belongs to a much less well known figure: Zhao Ziyang. Removed from power after clashing wit...

Why are Western (or Global North, whatever) nations pursuing decoupling at this particular moment in history? What is the link between decoupling and de-globalisation? Is either achieveable, or are we doomed to live in an interconnected world with two rival powers threatening nuclear war till the end of time?Chapters (00:00) Introduction (02:50) Secondary sector(19:11) De-globalisationSupport the showSign up for Buzzsprout to launch your podcasting journey: https://www.buzzsprout.co...

In 2020, Donald Trump made a speech where he announced plans to decouple the US' economy from China's, leading to a media outburst and a half-hearted response from the EU. 4 years later, Trump is back in power and the question of decoupling is back on the table, but the real question here is: is decoupling even possible?In part 1 (of 2? 3?) we take a look at the primary sector of the global economy to see just what decoupling would actually take and how much of a stake China has the in the ex...

**REUPLOAD**In today's episode we're going to pick up where we left off, at the very beginning of the new Republic of China. We'll look at the rise of Yuan Shikai and the descent of China into a period of warlordism. We will explore the changing nature of China's politics and culture, right up until the next big event to hit the Chinese stage, the May 4th movement.Some famous people we will be discussing include Sun Yatsen, Cai Yuanpei, Hu Shi, Lu Xun, and some of the founders of the Chinese ...

**REUPLOAD**Currently in the process of reuploading old episodes from the history portion of the podcast starting with this one!DescriptionOn October 9th 1911 an accidental explosion in a revolutionary base in Hubei province in central China triggered a revolution that would mark the end of China’s imperial past and usher in its modern future. While the series of events that followed seem to indicate a straightforward revolution on the surface, recent scholarship on the topic shows that the e...