@vicshih.bsky.social argues that Zhu Rongji’s willingness to communicate made him popular overseas, but his reforms mainly helped to strengthen Beijing’s control. Read the full reflection here: buff.ly/vYcDq8a

📊 Chart of the Week: Where does China's top scientific research institution get its money? Aside from government funds, the Chinese Academy of Sciences makes plenty from its business activities. Revisit our reporting on the companies tied to China's top sci-tech body: buff.ly/OdyS092

"I think Shanghai is certainly much more dynamic than Beijing. Shanghai people would certainly say so." @jmchatwin.bsky.social interviews Michael Dillon (@lauchinainstitute.bsky.social) on his new book "Shanghai: The Story of China’s Most Dynamic City." buff.ly/QTRdK9m

🎧️ China’s running, dancing, kung-fu fighting humanoid robots are better at being influencers than anything else. But soon they will have to get real jobs, and fast. Go behind the scenes in our latest episode: buff.ly/ihlyG4u

The Robots Are Coming!

China’s running, dancing, kung-fu fighting humanoid robots are better at being influencers than anything else.

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This week’s cover story: How did Yang Zhilin's Kimi K3 model scare off Silicon Valley and Washington alike? @rachelcheung.bsky.social and Peiyue Wu profile the rise of Moonshot AI: buff.ly/jg5xKFm

China's automobile sector is embroiled in a brutal price war. But Geely, which has its hands in cars, satellites, and higher education, has a plan to come out on top. Get the big picture on the Chinese carmaker with ties to Ford: buff.ly/2vM8Iyn

"The nature of the Communist Party is that it eats its own. Nobody is untouchable." Xi Jinping’s never-ending anti-corruption campaign is ensnaring even trusted officials in the financial sector, writes @rachelcheung.bsky.social, with one recent arrest particularly shocking: buff.ly/lhhj0jM

🎧️ China expects to produce 100,000 humanoid robots this year, much more than anticipated, but is the technology developed enough for customers to buy them all? Go behind the scenes in our latest episode: buff.ly/ihlyG4u

The Robots Are Coming!

China’s running, dancing, kung-fu fighting humanoid robots are better at being influencers than anything else.

thewirechina.substack.com

What we're reading (and remembering) in the wake of Zhu Rongji’s passing: Our weekly What We're Reading newsletter is usually subscriber-only, but this week it's outside the paywall. Remembering Zhu's snappy media appearances, impact, and more: www.thewirechina.com/2026/08/13/t...

The Great Premier - The Wire China

What I’m reading (and remembering) in the wake of Zhu Rongji’s passing.

thewirechina.com

"I have a voice, I have fire in the belly, I can contribute to policy making now. We are Americans as much as anyone." Read the rest of our Q&A with Maryland state delegate Lily Qi: buff.ly/FmCOKVo

📊 Chart of the Week: Perceived interference in China’s territory is trigger for sanctions or inclusion on Beijing's version of an entity list. The 330 sanctions China levied from 2019-2026 were all related to provocations involving Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, or Taiwan. Read more: buff.ly/1nH9ely

Op-Ed: "Europe’s indecision over whether to use or ban Chinese digital tech is now creating issues beyond critical infrastructure." Jeroen Groenewegen-Lau (@merics.bsky.social) discusses the risk of NearLink星闪, China's alternative to Bluetooth and Wifi, for The Wire China. buff.ly/tzHLS3G

From 5G to NearLink: Europe’s Next Digital Dependency Risk - The Wire China

China’s self-reliance drive could soon create another “Huawei moment” for Europe. Brussels has the tools to avoid repeating, but it must act quickly.

thewirechina.com

China says 100,000 humanoid robots will march off production lines this year. Where will they go? Get the big picture on the companies racing to conquer the humanoid market this year: buff.ly/W7zDnxO

China Readies for a Record Number of Humanoids - The Wire China

China says 100,000 humanoid robots will march off production lines this year. Where will they go?

thewirechina.com

The latest consumer trend in China? A good deal. Even amid an economic slowdown, there are still Chinese companies scoring big with thrifty customers. Peiyue Wu reports: buff.ly/naqjaKh

The Bargain Hunters - The Wire China

In China, conspicuous consumption is out and thrift is in. Some companies have figured out how to cash in on the trend.

thewirechina.com

This week’s cover story: California-based Jupiter Systems, which was owned by a Chinese company while concurrently supplying the U.S. military, is on the verge of bankruptcy. Noah Berman reports on the company's uncertain future between the U.S. government and its Chinese owner: buff.ly/b577Dqt

Jupiter's Descent - The Wire China

California-based Jupiter Systems sold high-tech wall screens to U.S. military and government clients. On June 14, The Wire China revealed how Jupiter was sold to a Chinese company in 2020 without the…

thewirechina.com

🎧️ As U.S. restrictions complicate DJI’s expansion beyond drones, its camera rival Insta360 has gained an unexpected advantage among American consumers. Listen to our latest podcast episode: buff.ly/QZqFlt6

🎧 In our latest episode, both DJI and Insta360 make cameras and drones — but only the latter is able to sell both of its products in the U.S. What does their patent dispute reveal about how Chinese firms navigate U.S. regulations? pod.link/1873741567

The Wire China Podcast

Listen to The Wire China Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

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Op-Ed: "While Chinese companies’ breakthroughs in AI are real and helpful in terms of China’s strategic autonomy, they will not easily equate to more profits for them." @aligarciaherrero.bsky.social writes for this week’s issue of The Wire China:

China's Tech Stocks Are Falling Despite Their Own Breakthroughs - The Wire China

A trio of apparent ‘good news’ stories for the Chinese tech industry have had the opposite effect on investor sentiment.

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📊 Chart of the Week: China and Europe used to be neck and neck in global car production. But as China surged ahead, Europe's share has collapsed. Why Europe's relationship with China has reached a tipping point: buff.ly/r241neR

90 percent of fast fashion giant Shein's revenue is from products shipped from China — which it primarily sells to the U.S. and Europe. But access to both those markets is at risk due to tariffs. Get the big picture on Shein's inner workings as it prepares to go public:

Unboxing Shein’s Hong Kong IPO - The Wire China

The online fashion retailer’s slowing growth and narrowing margins could dent its hopes of a big stock market listing.

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🎧 Nvidia has over 100 partners in China. Some of these firms, according to a Wire China investigation, have close ties to China's military. What does this mean for the future of U.S. chip restrictions? Dive deep in our latest episode: buff.ly/zprSrY3

The Wire China Podcast

Listen to The Wire China Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

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"When [China] began its turn toward the environment some 20 years ago it did not move first through law." Brent Crane interviews @greenlawchina.bsky.social ( @law.ucla.edu) on whether China's experience represents ‘good environmental authoritarianism’: buff.ly/zzfbNwR

This week's cover story: How did Xi Jinping seize personal control of China’s foreign policy apparatus? Read the excerpt from a forthcoming book by Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung:

From “Hide and Bide” to “Loud and Proud” - The Wire China

In an excerpt from their new book 'China's Global Strategy under Xi Jinping', Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung examine how Xi seized personal control of China’s foreign policy apparatuses.

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Washington's restrictions on dronemaker DJI opened a window for its rival, Insta360, to snap up American consumers. Now both companies are taking their conflict to court. Peiyue Wu reports on the legal battle between two Chinese tech companies:

DJI Gets into a Fight in the U.S. — With Another Chinese Dronemaker - The Wire China

As U.S. restrictions complicate DJI’s expansion beyond drones, its camera rival Insta360 has gained an unexpected advantage.

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🎧 Nvidia has over 100 partners in China. Some of these firms, according to a Wire China investigation, have close ties to China's military. What does this mean for the future of U.S. chip restrictions? Dive deep in our latest episode: pod.link/1873741567

The Wire China Podcast

Listen to The Wire China Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

pod.link

My Op-Ed for @thewirechina.bsky.social: " #China’s #Tech Stocks Are Falling Despite Their Own Breakthroughs". A trio of apparent ‘good news’ stories for the Chinese tech industry have had the opposite effect on investor sentiment. www.thewirechina.com/2026/07/30/c...

China's Tech Stocks Are Falling Despite Their Own Breakthroughs - The Wire China

A trio of apparent ‘good news’ stories for the Chinese tech industry have had the opposite effect on investor sentiment.

thewirechina.com

China's military-civil fusion policy has made it difficult to identify how universities and companies that serve both commercial and defense interests plan to use a given product. Nvidia's network of China partners illustrates the challenge. The Wire China investigates:

Nvidia’s China Partners and the PLA - The Wire China

Around a fifth of the Chinese companies that Nvidia lists as partners have also won bids to supply China’s defense industry, including the People’s Liberation Army itself, according to procurement…

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📊 Chart of the week: Even though Chinese solar firms are reducing their shares in U.S.-held factories, making way for made-in-America solar, knocking China from the position it earned through decades of investment in solar won’t be easy. Read the story: buff.ly/MiLYeN3

"I eventually started referring to my experience as being one with the “other China”: a world that is irrepressible, vocal, creative, and despite everything, somewhat upbeat, always optimistic." Brent Crane interviews noted sinologist Geremie Barmé on his lifetime studying China: buff.ly/oVbn6ig

Op-Ed: "For most of the past decade, the incentives facing Chinese AI companies and Beijing have reinforced one another. As Chinese labs approach the frontier, that alignment has begun to break down." Ruby Scanlon writes this week in The Wire China:

Can China Keep Its AI Open? - The Wire China

An emphasis on open-weight AI models has suited both China’s AI industry and Beijing to date, but limits may now be necessary.

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