Sinobabble

Recently, news of Hebei villagers freezing in their homes this winter has sparked heated discussion online. The villagers are part of a government scheme to convert the population to 'clean' energy sources, mainly via a coal-to-gas policy. But as subsidies taper and the cost of gas rises, poorer residents are opting out of the policy, either using traditional heating methods to stay warm or suffering the cold. In this episode we explore the origins of the coal-to-gas policy, the real-term effects it's had on the population, and its relationship to the CCP's wider goals of net zero and rural...

In 2025, the Chinese Cyberspace Administration introduced a new policy that aims to police online content that promotes violence, aggression, pessimism and negative emotions. While censorship is nothing new in China, this new law poses a new set of questions: what exactly is the difference between censorship and misinformation? What is a legitimate grievance, and what is a blatant attempt by someone to spread fake news or stir up a gender war? And how exactly do you police a bad vibe?

Chapters 
(00:00) Introduction to the new cyberspace policy
(07:04) *12 China Books Book Club*
(07:45) Policy targets: lying f...

China shock 2.0, $1trillion surplus, Adam Smith. Is the neoliberal global order coming to an end? Is it China's fault? Do they care?

In this episode we tackle the underlying questions surrounding fears of China's domination of all major manufacturing industries. Should China stop what they're doing? If so, why? And if why, how should they bring back balance and let us poor Westerners keep some of our jobs?

We also talk globalisation, who's really to blame for the current situation, and why Orientalism plays a bigger role than you might think.

Join the 12...

Leave your recommendations below. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Chapters 
(00:00) About the books
(2:20) The Dean of Shandong
(12:35) Private Revolutions
(20:35) The New China Playbook
(29:20) I Deliver Parcels in Beijing
(40:40) Final thoughts
(42:30) Books for next year, book club?

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In recent months news of purges at the very top of the PLA have gripped headlines, with many speculating as to the cause and outcomes of this series of high-profile oustings. Many have concluded that regardless of the cause -- coup attempt, rampant corruption, incompetence, paranoia -- the result is that Xi has tightened his control over an historically elusive and *opaque* arm of the party-state. 

Xi is an outside figure -- he is not a military man, he has seen no bloodshed, commanded no battles, won no victories. And yet he now towers above the PLA a...

I'm joined by Nick Zeller (https://uscnpm.substack.com/) and Craig Kafura (https://bsky.app/profile/ckafura.bsky.social) to discuss a public opinion poll carried out earlier this year and what it tells us about what Chinese people really think about China. Broken down into 4 reports, we talk about the economy, China-US relations, global leadership, the impact of demographics on answers and why the reaction from westerners reveal an ideological bent and a lack understanding of Chinese society.

Read the reports here: https://globalaffairs.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/CCGA-Carter%20Center_China%20International%20Relations%20Report.pdf 

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) The history of China's HSR
(11:10) Arguments against HSR 
(25:56) Spillover 

Buy me a coff...

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 Hangzhou created its own growth model
(14:45) How Hangzhou and Silicon Valley differ

Buy me a coffee: h...

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 Starbucks Story
(05:45) Changes in the Chinese consumer market
(09:00) Foreign brands history i...

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-says-china-will-supply-rare-earths-us-allow-students-2025-06-11/

https://substack.com/home/post/p...

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 relations, or the promotion of language and culture. Do...

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-chinese-student-visas

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/02/china-us-trade-war-truce-donald-trump

https://ww...

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/c1w3dln352vo

https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-accuse-pakistan-of-sowing-distrust-between-afghanistan-china-/7638230.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/n...

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 Chinese nationals are being held in scam compounds in Southeast Asian nations like Ca...

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 today for as little as £5: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sinobabblepod

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-jinpings-russia-visit-balances-symbolism-and-strategy-europe-watches?utm_source=rss_feed

https://merics.org/en/china-russia-dashboard-facts-and-figures-special-relationship#:~:text=China%2DRussia%20trade%20has%20surged%20since%20Ukraine%20...

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

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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 
(00:00) Introduction
(04:26) How is any of this relevant t...

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/article/3307814/deepseek-opens-roles-product-and-design-start-keeps-mum-new-ai-model?utm_source=rss_feed

...

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 consequences in trying to circumvent the US market.
<...

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 attracting the attention of powerful political figures in the US by promising the secrets to the annihilation of the CCP and...

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 with the elders of the CCP over the Tiananmen Square Incident, Zhao was crucial to forming...

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-globalisation

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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 extraction of raw materials used around the...

**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 Communist...

**REUPLOAD**
Currently in the process of reuploading old episodes from the history portion of the podcast starting with this one!

Description
On 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 exact nature, objective, outcome, and legacy of the Republican movement is an...

What is the origin of the Chinese writing system? Where did Chinese characters come from, and how did they evolve over time? Are they pictographs? Ideogographs? Logographs? Phonographs? Or all of the above? This is the nature of one of the most famous debates in Sinology, which took place in the 1930s between historian Herrlee Creel and linguist Peter Boodberg. The debate not only reveals the complexity of including many diverse fields under the single umbrella of 'Chinese studies', but also reveals a deeper controversy about the way Chinese history, language, and thought is understood and interpreted in the...

Much has been made in Western media about the Chinese social credit system. It's been painted as a totalitarian form of surveillance akin to 1984, where all citizens are tracked, monitored and ranked according to an arbitrary set of rules set up by the state. It's seen as something to be feared, something that could be coming to your country and taking over your life sooner than you think. But the truth of the real social credit system may be a lot more banal. From mistranslations to misunderstandings, let's delve into why the social credit system may be the thing...

In this episode we discuss Western (mainly US) think tank analysis of China in the 1990s and early 2000s and ask ourselves if they provide any value either for the public discourse or as pieces of policy advice. While experts work hard to produce piece after piece, report after report, looking at China's economic, military, political and technological developments, the actual usefulness of these works either individually or as a collective needs to be evaluated. What started off as the search for a common thread in the evolution of China analysis over a 10 year period ended up being a...

When Xi became General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, no one assumed he would take up that position for life. But when Presidential term limits were abolished in 2018, it was widely understood that Xi had made himself supreme leader, and would remain head of the state, party, and military indefinitely. But how did Xi manage to pull this off, and how did everyone seemingly miss the signs? According to some sources, Xi made a swift powergrab, sweeping over party consensus and using guile and manipulation to crush his foes. The truth, however, may be a lot less straightforward...

Why are so many cultural heritage sites in China fake? Why is the architecture all the same? And why does no one care that all these old towns were built in the past 20 years? Let's take a deep dive into the history of the cultural heritage industry in China, the role of the CCP party-state, the agency of local actors, and try and figure out why Chinese tourists love fake reconstructions of mini European villages in the middle of their megacities.

*Diary of the visit to Furong was in 2022 not 2002!!

#China #culturalheritage #unesco #culturalrevolution #chinesehistory...

Hi everyone,

I’m really excited to announce that I will be hosting my first ever livestream this Friday 10th May over on Youtube. This is just a casual event, where you guys can ask me any questions you want, we can discuss current affairs and China news, and we can brainstorm future episode ideas as a collective.

The stream will be at 10pm BST. You can join us at this link on Friday - I’m really looking forward to chatting with everyone!

See you soon,

Edi

Su...