Sharp China: TikTok and Musk and Xiaohongshu; Xi’s Speech To Top Leaders; New PLA Capabilities for Taiwan; Proposed AI Controls and Continued Hacking Concerns

This episode of Sharp China is free for everyone.

Show Notes:

On today’s show Bill and Andrew begin with multiple reports that Chinese officials have considered working with Elon Musk to find a resolution for TikTok in the U.S., while TikTok‘s users have flocked to Xiaohongshu and inspired a few more questions for the future. Then: Parsing Xi Jinping’s speech in the first 2025 issue of Qiushi, why both the substance of his message and his audience heighten concerns, and reactions to a new fleet of barges in Guangzhou that could factor into the PRC’s plans for Taiwan. At the end: U.S.-China updates, including a final rule from the U.S. on connected vehicles, proposed rules on AI chips, more alarms being sounded on PRC hacking, looming tech bro fissures, and the emissary from the PRC who may attend next week’s presidential inauguration.

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Related Readings:

RMB signaling; Trade surplus; New US AI export rules; TikTok to become XTok? -- Sinocism

Xi chats with European Council President Antonio Costa; US rule on connected vehicles; RMB talk; Supply chain binding; TikTok -- Sinocism

China Weighs Sale of TikTok US to Musk as a Possible Option -- Bloomberg

China discussing using Elon Musk as broker in TikTok deal -- FT

China Officials Discuss Option of TikTok Sale to Elon Musk -- WSJ

US netizens calling themselves ‘TikTok refugees’ migrate to Chinese social media app ahead of US Supreme Court ruling -- Global Times

TikTok crisis builds unlikely ‘cyberspace bridge’ between US and China -- Semafor

Xi in Qiushi - Comprehensively Advancing the Building of a Strong Country and the Great Cause of National Rejuvenation Through Chinese Modernization -- Sinocism

China’s Trade Surplus Reaches a Record of Nearly $1 Trillion -- NYT

China Suddenly Building Fleet Of Special Barges Suitable For Taiwan Landings -- Naval News

Post by John Culver -- John Culver on X

Commerce Finalizes Rule to Secure Connected Vehicle Supply Chains from Foreign Adversary Threats -- BIS

U.S. Targets China With New AI Curbs, Overriding Nvidia’s Objections -- WSJ

Former FBI Director Chris Way on 60 Minutes -- Face the Nation on X

How Chinese Hackers Graduated From Clumsy Corporate Thieves to Military Weapons -- WSJ

Jan. 6, 2025: Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play In The Snow -- YouTube

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