The hottest China Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

What's Art Got to Do with It?

System Change • 491 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
💰 Finance Inflation Deflation China Economic Policy
  1. The art market is experiencing deflation as buyers prioritize debt repayment over new purchases.
  2. Debt deflation and low wages worldwide are driving the fall in prices of goods, services, and assets.
  3. China's economy, as the world's second largest, plays a significant role in global deflationary pressures and may require a drastic shift in economic policy to avoid a crash.

Whither China? Part III: Policy hubris and the end of infallibility

Chartbook • 2317 implied HN points • 20 Aug 23
🌍 World Politics China Economy Policy Authoritarianism COVID
  1. China's economy is facing challenges due to a mix of authoritarian policies and exhausted growth models.
  2. Two main interpretations of China's economic situation are based on institutional economics and Keynesian macro perspectives.
  3. China's current crisis highlights the impact of overconfidence and policy hubris on the regime's decision-making.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Debunked: Media falsely claims China is building spy base in Cuba

Geopolitical Economy Report • 677 implied HN points • 18 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics China Diplomatic Relations
  1. The Pentagon confirmed that the media story of China building a spy base in Cuba is false, debunking claims made by anonymous US intelligence officials.
  2. China and Cuba denounced the false reports of a spy base as part of US spy agency information warfare to sabotage diplomacy and demonize them.
  3. The Pentagon's concern about the US losing a potential war with China, highlighted in recent war games, adds complexity to the information war waged on China by US intelligence agencies.

The Tucker Interview

Points And Figures • 746 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Policy NATO Russia Ukraine China
  1. The Tucker Carlson interview with Putin didn't break new ground, but generated views and highlighted the power of Twitter for news.
  2. Putin's incorrect historical claims were discussed, shedding light on the importance of transparent cost/benefit analyses in foreign policy decisions.
  3. Various political dynamics and implications surrounding the Ukraine situation, including corruption, global power struggles, and potential military actions, were analyzed.

Chartbook: Whither China? Part II - Posen v. Pettis or "authoritarian impasse" v. "structural dead-end"

Chartbook • 1859 implied HN points • 15 Aug 23
🌍 World Politics China Global Trade Economic Analysis
  1. Different interpretations exist regarding China's economic problems, with one side emphasizing authoritarian impasse and the other focusing on structural issues.
  2. The authoritarian impasse view highlights an inevitable downfall of authoritarian regimes, while the structural analysis points to socio-economic inequality as the root cause of China's economic challenges.
  3. The solutions proposed by each side differ, with one advocating for regime change and the other suggesting a shift towards a more inclusive growth model.

Chartbook 237: Whither China? (4): Zero-Covid myths, dynamic clearing & the Omicron crisis of 2022

Chartbook • 1702 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics China COVID-19 Policy Economy Mortality
  1. The zero-Covid policy in China was not always about sustained repression, but involved dynamic clearing to contain outbreaks.
  2. The economic impact of China's Covid policy was influenced more by global demand and housing market than by the lockdowns.
  3. The sudden abandonment of zero-Covid in China in 2022 resulted in a significant projected death toll, showcasing the complexity and consequences of the regime's decisions.

Xi on financial development; Premier Li's Davos speech; MSS on Taiwan; Spring Festival travel

Sinocism • 334 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics China Taiwan Economy International relations
  1. Xi Jinping emphasizes strong financial development based on solid economic foundation and key core financial elements.
  2. Annual seminar for provincial and ministerial-level cadres focuses on promoting high-quality financial development.
  3. Efforts to accelerate the construction of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics are crucial for building a strong financial nation.

US ambassador arrogantly lectures China ‘threat’: ‘We’re the leader in this region (Asia)’!

Geopolitical Economy Report • 578 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics China US Diplomacy Foreign Relations Global Leadership
  1. US Ambassador Nicholas Burns showcased an arrogant and aggressive attitude towards China, declaring the US as the leader in the Indo-Pacific region.
  2. The US is focusing on competing with China in military power, economy, technology, and human rights, reflecting a rising tension between the two nations.
  3. There is a close relationship between US corporations and the State Department, with US diplomats highlighting the importance of collaboration with the private sector.

How the US created the “Iran-backed Houthis”

Nonzero Newsletter • 677 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Iran US Yemen China Demographics
  1. The US involvement in Yemen against the Houthis may have been based on misleading narratives.
  2. Artificial intelligence is advancing and could lead to job displacement for both low-skill and high-skill workers.
  3. China's population decline could be linked to unintended consequences of their one-child policy, affecting women's views on childbirth.

Countries worldwide are dropping the US dollar: De-dollarization in China, Russia, Brazil, ASEAN

Geopolitical Economy Report • 538 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics De-dollarization China Russia Brazil
  1. Countries like China, Russia, and Brazil are moving away from using the US dollar in trade deals.
  2. Southeast Asian nations are also shifting towards local currency payments in trade, reducing dependence on the US Dollar.
  3. Global financial newspapers are recognizing the trend towards a more diverse, multipolar currency world as an alternative to the dominance of the US dollar.

China via social media

Austrian China • 314 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics China Social media Narratives Government Criticism
  1. Making sense of the world through social media can be challenging, especially when lacking first-hand experience.
  2. Western observers often encounter four main narratives about China on social media, but these may not reflect reality.
  3. Different narratives exist about China, from portraying it as a socialist success to predicting its collapse, but the reality is more nuanced and complex.

i-SOON: Kicking off the Year of the Dragon with Good Luck … or Not

Natto Thoughts • 199 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics China Cybersecurity Government Military Espionage
  1. The leaked documents provide valuable insights into the business culture and practices of China's hacker-for-hire industry, showing the importance of connections and relationships in the pursuit of profits.
  2. The relationship between i-SOON and Chengdu 404 is complex, involving not just business partnerships but also competition, bid rigging, and sharing of tools and vulnerabilities.
  3. i-SOON's business struggles illustrate that the commercial hacking industry in China is profit-driven and reliant on navigating relationships and government policies to secure contracts and business opportunities.

France's Macron opposes US cold war on China, wants independent Europe - but is it just rhetoric?

Geopolitical Economy Report • 458 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Europe United States China Trade
  1. France's Macron advocates for Europe's independence from the US to avoid being mere followers, emphasizing the need for strategic autonomy.
  2. Macron's warnings about not becoming vassals to the US are influenced by the economic importance of China as the EU's top trading partner.
  3. The failure of previous efforts, like the INSTEX mechanism, to challenge US dominance highlights the challenges Macron faces in altering Europe's foreign policy towards China.

Purges and the PLA: Corruption in the Ranks

ChinaTalk • 874 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Military Taiwan China
  1. Corruption within the Chinese military has led to major purges, affecting Xi Jinping's military actions.
  2. Predicting Xi Jinping's actions regarding Taiwan is difficult due to his secretive nature and complex decision-making process.
  3. Taiwan needs to focus on enhancing its defense capabilities with a balance of investments in munitions, technology, and strategic planning.

How To Understand the Provinces, Prefectures, Counties and Towns of China (Part 1)

Crossing the River by Feeling the Stones • 412 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🌐 International China Geography
  1. China's administrative structure includes province-level, prefecture-level, and county-level units.
  2. Prefecture-level units in China include prefecture-level cities, autonomous prefectures, and traditional prefectures.
  3. County-level units encompass districts, county-level cities, and counties, with varying urbanization levels.

Merry Chrismas

Pekingnology • 105 implied HN points • 24 Dec 24
🌐 International China Globalization Media Newsletter Politics
  1. The newsletter started in 2020 and has grown from 600 to over 17,500 subscribers. It's great to see it reach so many readers.
  2. The goal of the newsletter is to provide a deeper, more nuanced understanding of China. It aims to present a true and multi-faceted view of the country.
  3. Thanks were given to readers and contributors, highlighting the importance of teamwork in creating diverse content about China.

Citizen Trump.

News Items • 196 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics China Economy Growth Trade Authoritarianism
  1. China's economy is struggling with a trade surplus and other challenges like a property market downturn.
  2. Investors and officials fear that China lacks a reliable source of growth.
  3. Boosting the spending of China's vast population is seen as a key factor for economic growth in the country.

I Was Trafficked to Myanmar to Work as a Phone Scammer

Chinarrative • 235 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics China
  1. The victim was lured under a false job advertisement to Myanmar and was forced to work in a phone scamming operation.
  2. The victim tried to contact his family for help, but faced severe consequences when caught, including being physically harmed.
  3. The victim's family had to pay a high ransom of 450,000 yuan to secure his release, showcasing the harsh reality and financial burden of human trafficking.

Trump or Biden: Who is Best for China?

Sinification • 176 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics China US Foreign Policy Diplomacy Alliances
  1. A second term for Biden may mean a more stable relationship with China, but also potential challenges like increased competition and pressure on Chinese scientific innovation.
  2. A second term for Trump could ease external strategic pressure faced by China, but it might lead to a tougher stance on China and increased complexity in economic and security rivalry.
  3. The Trump administration's policies might reduce some external strategic pressure on China, create more space for international alliances, and exert less pressure on China in the ideological field compared to the Democrats.

A Momentous Shift.

News Items • 176 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💰 Finance Global Markets Investors Economy India China
  1. Investors are pulling billions of dollars from China and shifting focus to India
  2. Wall Street giants like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are endorsing India as a prime investment destination
  3. India is becoming a popular choice for various global investment firms and even conservative investors