(Preview) Operation Joint Sword 2024B; The Latest on the "Stimulus"; US Presidential Election Follow-Up; Two Pandas Fly to D.C.

Sharp China with Bill Bishop

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Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism

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On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the news that the PRC has sent two pandas to the National Zoo in Washington D.C., as Qing Bao, a 3-year-old year-old female, and Bao Li, a 3-year-old male, begin a 30-day quarantine in the Panda House. Then: Takeaways from Monday's Operation Joint Sword 2024B around Taiwan, including the strategic value of these military exercises for the PRC, and the implications of normalizing this pattern of behavior. From there: Parsing the "stimulus" news over the last several days, including the strain on local governments, why reports suggest that Xi and the central government are taking action to help them, and heightened scrutiny on overseas investments. At the end: Following up on Bill's conversation about the 2024 US Election, a Financial Times report on PRC educators ordered to surrender their passport, and an emailer provides a look at the new quality productive forces in dentistry.

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Guessing about new bond issuance; Panda stimulus for US-China relations; Space plans; Tax collectors — Sinocism

More special bonds for fiscal stimulus?; Stock market surge; Water-filled submarine; MSS mad at New Zealand; Raising money by detaining private entrepreneurs — Sinocism

Giant pandas have returned to D.C. Meet Bao Li and Qing Bao. — Washington Post

China Counts Wild Pandas. Nobody Believes Its Tally — New York Times

The Panda Factories — New York Times

PRC Military Drills Near Taiwan — US Department of State

China ends war games around Taiwan, but leaves door open to more — Reuters

China throwing a ‘temper tantrum’ with Taiwan drills, key Democrat says — Semafor (May 2024)

China flags more fiscal stimulus for economy, leaves out key details on size — Reuters

Exclusive: China May Add 6 Trillion Yuan in Treasury Bonds to Buttress Economy — Caixin

Chinese Banks Set to Cut Deposit Rates as Soon as This Week — Bloomberg

Behind Xi Jinping’s Pivot on Broad China Stimulus — Wall Street Journal

China’s real intent behind its stimulus inflection — Financial Times

Wealth China Moves to Tax the Ultra-Rich for Overseas Investment Gains — Bloomberg

Substack Election Dialogues: China and the US election — Sinocism

China tells schoolteachers to hand in their passports — Financial Times