„Overcapacity is the consequence of a missing level playing field.” Enjoyed an inspiring conversation with SCMP, spanning topics from climate change to business, int’l conflicts to counter-espionage. Read the full interview here: t1p.de/waesx

the irony - and the delay - in the de-facto, piecemeal but long-overdue household registration/hukou reform is that it has finally kicked in not because of a pursuit of equality and fairness but out of economic necessity, here or in Hangzhou/Tianjin to stimulate homebuying.

'When Mr Yang arrived he said that 'great changes' had reshaped his business, which now focuses on domestic clients. Under Ms Liu’s steady gaze, he added that market forces guided this shift, as his expectations for exports had been too high.'
David Rennie 任大伟
economist.com/china/2024/05/…

Good thread on why much of the criticism of Biden’s decision to halt some arms deliveries to Israel misses the point.

The instructive fate of halal food exporters from Hui Muslim regions of Ningxia - once praised and promoted by the government, now deemed a threat to the secular Chinese state economist.com/china/2024/05/… from The Economist

1/14
Here's a very good thread – linked to a very good essay – on Beijing's 'technonationalism'. I've long argued that, like the USSR in the 1960s, Beijing hopes that a technological breakthrough will drive a resolution of its economic problems.

Foreign Editor's Five. Back from Singapore - read our interview with the new PM, especially on China v US. Plus why deep fake Russian women love real Chinese men. Mike Bird Ana Lankes David Rennie 任大伟 Ted Plafker

economist.com/asia/2024/05/0…

China congratulates Russian President #Putin on his inauguration, and believes #Russia will make new achievements in national development and economic and social progress under his leadership, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. bit.ly/4dsfV41

A coming wave of Alzheimer’s will test China to its limits. Find out why on our latest “Drum Tower” podcast, with Alice Su 蘇奕安 and David Rennie 任大伟 econ.st/3QwUmFG 🎧

Xi Jinping lashes out at Nato over 1999 Belgrade bombing ahead of Serbia visit on.ft.com/4b9d6Du

Press statement by EC President von der Leyen following the trilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping, with a clear demand to „ curtail delivery of dual-use goods to Russia that find their way to the battlefield“ in Ukraine. ec.europa.eu/commission/pre…

Many young Chinese women say they want one child or no children at all. On our latest “Drum Tower” podcast, Alice Su 蘇奕安 and David Rennie 任大伟 talk about China’s low-fertility trap and what may have caused it econ.st/3UAMtkZ 🎧

Gift link
theatlantic.com/magazine/archi…

China and America are blaming each other for a world on fire. A global contest is under way to recruit like-minded countries as supporters econ.st/4bqe7H7 👇

“La Chine fait-elle la police en France?” — a special report, aired in 🇫🇷 TV broadcaster France 2’s weekly program “Envoyé special” on May 2 in cooperation with 🇫🇷 magazine Challenges, about an illegal operation led by 🇨🇳 Ministry of Public Security with the assistance of the 🇨🇳…

The Economist: 'This is an age of political turmoil, economic angst and rising barriers to trade. In Beijing and Washington leaders see opportunities to blame rivals in the other capital for making the chaos worse.'
David Rennie 任大伟
economist.com/china/2024/05/…

Emmanuel Macron à la Une de The Economist, Carla Bruni, Guillaume Meurice : voici les trois figures du jour.

Perennial The Society of Publishers in Asia contenders Caixin, Sixth Tone, even SCMP have dropped out and are no longer submitting nominees, 'for obvious reasons,' two senior Caixin staffers said. 'Even if we get invitations from overseas organizations, we just cannot participate.' Good story Nikkei Asia

I just spent a week in Beijing, for the first time in many years. A few thoughts. The war in Ukraine is creating huge strains in China's relations with the US and the EU. This is because the war has pushed China into closer alignment with Russia, Iran and DPRK. /1 CER