Sharp China: Tension Simmering in the South China Sea; The Five Eyes and More Spies; Foxconn and Jon Stewart; The New Yorker on Xi

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Show notes:

On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest confrontation between the PRC and the Philippines in the South China Sea, clarity as to PRC maritime tactics that look increasingly like an undeclared blockade, and questions about when and how the US might get involved. From there: Qin Gang and Li Shangfu are formally removed from the State Council, the MSS discloses details of another citizen accused of spying for the US, and leaders of the Five Eyes go to Silicon Valley and 60 Minutes. At the end: Heightened scrutiny of Foxconn in advance of January’s presidential election in Taiwan, Tim Cook goes to China, Jon Stewart leaves Apple, and the New Yorker’s Evan Osnos examines the sentiments in China after Xi Jinping's first decade in power. 

Related readings:

Li Shangfu and Qin Gang; 1T RMB in new debt; Xi visits PBoC and SAFE; Neighborhood diplomacy; AI chip controls

Second Thomas Shoal approaching a crisis?; Wang Yi to visit the US; Spy games intensify; Real estate, debt and stock market support; Malaise -- Sinocism 

U.S. Support for our Philippine Allies in the Face of Repeated PRC Harassment in the South China Sea  -- U.S. Dept. of State 

Speak its name: Blockade -- Sealight 

2017 - Counter-Coercion Series: Second Thomas Shoal Incident -- Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative 

CCTV show on the arrest of another alleged American spy:

China stealing technology secrets -- from AI to computing and biology, "Five Eyes" intelligence leaders warn -- 60 Minutes

Five-Eyes Spies Are Bringing Their China Warnings in From the Cold - Bloomberg Opinion

2017 - Killing C.I.A. Informants, China Crippled U.S. Spying Operations -- N.Y. Times 

China launches investigation into iPhone maker Foxconn, says state media -- FT

2016 - How China Built ‘iPhone City’ With Billions in Perks for Apple’s Partner -- N.Y. Times 

Jon Stewart’s Show on Apple Is Ending -- N.Y. Times 

China's Age of Malaise -- The New Yorker 

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