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Sinica: The Guo Degang scandal plus China apologists

This week’s Sinica is a great show. We covered two issues, one current and one chronic. The current issue is the Guo Degang affair, in which the student of a famous Beijing crosstalk performer struck a BTV journalist in murky circumstances. While BTV hardly looks blameless, the result has been that Guo has found himself [...]

Sinica podcast: The death of the China blog

The latest Sinica podcast is now live. In this edition, Kaiser Kuo, Danwei editor Jeremy Goldkorn and I discuss the state of English language China blogging. The title and blurb are actually a bit alarmist. Our conclusion is that the sense of community around the China blogs has changed as the main discussions have moved [...]

Sinica podcast: China's environmental collapse

Last week I had the pleasure of co-hosting Sinica with Kaiser as we discussed China’s environment with Guardian journalist and author Jonathan Watts and Alex Wang, director of the China Environmental Law project at the Natural Resources Defense Council. That means that, as usual, Kaiser produced the podcast and did all the hard work, and [...]

Sinica 13: The great China book round-up

After a few weeks out of the studio I rejoined Kaiser Kuo for the latest installment of the Sinica podcast. This week’s topic was a discussion of the best English language China books, and should be a good listen for anyone who wants to put together a China reading list or expand their current one. [...]

Sinica 7: Schoolyard violence with Chinese characteristics

The latest Sinica podcast is up. In this episode, hosted by Jeremy Goldkorn of Danwei.org, Forbes Beijing bureau chief Gady Epstein, Chinese journalist Qin Liwen and I discuss the recent rash of school attacks in China. It was great to have Liwen on board both because she has recently written about this issue and becase [...]

Sinica Podcast 5: Huang Guangyu, plus the China property bubble

Once again I joined Kaiser Kuo and repeat offenders Bill Bishop, author of of Digicha and Sinocism, and Forbes Beijing bureau chief Gady Epstein for the Sinica podcast. This week’s blurb:

Huang Guangyu, the richest man in China, went on trial last week in Beijing. The founder of home electronics chain Gome was brought up on [...]

Sinica Podcast 3: Talking Han Han and Ai Weiwei

The third Sinica podcast is online now. Hosted once again by Kaiser Kuo, this installment features me and Time correspondent Austin Ramzy (@austinramzy), with guest comments from Jeremy Goldkorn of Danwei, Forbes Beijing bureau chief Gady Epstein (@gadyepstein) and Chinageeks blogger Charlie Custer. The blurb:

This week, Kaiser Kuo hosts a discussion all about China’s best-known [...]

Sinica: Talking Iran and the Shanxi vaccination scandals

The latest Sinica podcast is online now:

This week: how should we interpret signs that China may be preparing for an about-turn on Iranian sanctions? Have recent Israeli visits hardened Beijing’s position, or are we seeing quid pro quo linked to American pressure on currency manipulation and upcoming nuclear disarmament talks? And what is going on [...]