There’s a lot of buzz over China news, but significantly less understanding of the drivers behind China’s political economy. We're here to bridge that gap.
At TCG we strive to ‘turn news into insight,’ which helps cut through the noise for rookies and experts, alike. Our team of China Watchers from across the globe weigh in on issues that impact critical business and investment decisions in the Chinese market. If we’ve piqued your interest, then don’t be shy and read on, below!
With the purported goal of reducing students’ stress, China’s new “double reduction” policy seeks to ease homework and after-school tutoring burdens. In reality, the policy has been more successful in crippling the...
As societal and socioeconomic pressures transform traditional Chinese values, China’s single population is growing. With its boom, a new “singles economy” has been born. While the demographic has traditionally lifted...
The new space race has begun, this time with American and Chinese commercial space companies competing to become the global aerospace industry leader. While these aerospace companies may be looking at the stars, they do...
Local government financing vehicles (“LGFVs”) reclaimed the spotlight during the pandemic as officials sought quick gains to reinvigorate a slowing economy. However, mounting off-balance sheet debt has become a key...
The Evergrande crisis opened the world’s eyes to the global implications of sudden Chinese policy changes. In many ways, the case of Evergrande and other indebted property developers has been brought on by the...
The world around us is driven by commerce. E-commerce has enjoyed particular success in modern society and accounts for over 50% of China’s total retail sales. Online auctions, a maturing segment of the e-commerce...
In an unprecedented push, Chinese regulators have waged an all-out war on private industry in 2021. Regulators started their crusade against anti-competitive business practices early in the year and have since broadened...
Is the “Golden Age” of US-China business relations over? With Pat McAloon, director of the Greater Columbus Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and Colin Renk, director of the America China Society of Indiana, we explore...
Amazon’s unprecedented crackdown on fake reviews has shuttered thousands of Chinese merchant stores since May 2021, throwing the “made in China, sold on Amazon” model into limbo. In this article, we discuss the impetus...
China’s EV industry is entering its most exciting phase of development yet. The highly competitive market is introducing a variety of innovative products at lower prices than global competitors, providing Chinese...
China's agricultural production is inefficient and, in many ways, outdated. Facing growing issues like urbanization and an aging population, China is staring down at major food security issues. Yet, technology may be the...
The podcast industry is coming of age in China. With a tight-knit community of 80 million young and educated listeners from top-tier cities, content creators, big-tech firms, and regulators are rushing into the growing...
China's preferential policy has cultivated a hot bed for blockchain innovation. As policymakers name blockchain as a key driver of the nation’s future economy, domestic SMEs and MNCs have the opportunity to scale along...
The ‘lying flat’ movement that emphasizes a stand against traditional employment and a minimalist lifestyle is sweeping across China. The appeal of this lifestyle to many in the younger generations could prove an...
From clamping down on anti-competitive marketing practices to stifling illicit uses of personal data, Beijing’s regulatory crackdown is driven by a desire to curb the “disorderly expansion of capital.” However, these...
China is massively invested in the digital transformation of its cities. With the nation's top-down approach towards urban development, it has been able to efficiently rally its industries and resources to support its...
China’s e-commerce livestreaming industry reached a value of over US$165 million in 2020. As more firms turn to livestreamers, the market has become overcrowded and ROI has been slipping. To remain competitive, brands...
Virtual reality is quickly becoming the technology of the future. China has highlighted the VR industry as an important sector within its innovation strategy, and it is looking to position itself as a global leader in...
Chinese tech giant NetEase Inc. announced a spin-off of Cloud Village, its mobile music streaming service subsidiary, in late May. With a cult-like community that boasts strong user engagement and its unique Music Talent...
China is both the world’s largest consumer of seafood and largest producer of farmed fish. As incomes rise and consumer demand for seafood grows, overexploitation in the fishing industry is on track to become a major...
China’s biopharmaceuticals is an often overlooked yet quickly growing industry. In recent years, various regulatory reforms have transformed the industry, nurturing it into a global competitor. Many foreign investors are...
China has a love-hate relationship with crypto. It loves the technology but hates the illicit activity. While blockchain will play a vital role as a strategic technology highlighted in national development goals, its...
With over 682 million mobile gamers, the Chinese mobile gaming market is one of the world’s largest. Together with Todd Kuhns at AppInChina, we explore the tips and tricks by which game developers can break into the...
Key industries such as construction and manufacturing have been pinpointed as weak links in the future Chinese economy. With an imminent aging population crisis on the horizon, Beijing has unveiled a new three-child...
Central Bank Digital Currencies (“CBDCs”) could well be one of the most profound developments of the 21st century. This article takes a look at the impact, motivations, and policy choices available to Central Banks and...
From the introduction of a sweeping national security law to a major overhaul of the city's electoral system, Beijing's hardline approach against Hong Kong's democratic underbelly has largely been driven by national...
Semiconductor chips are at the crux of the US-China technology competition, and export controls from the ongoing trade war have impeded China’s semiconductor ambitions. Among other measures, China has been establishing...
It’s no more the Great Leap Forward, but instead the “Robotic Leap Forward.” Automation at the industrial level is now expanding to the consumer level in China, and Beijing is looking to use investment in customer...
Easy access to credit, a key pillar of China’s recovery, has helped lift the economy from the pits of the pandemic; however, cracks are beginning to show. Policymakers are now shifting their gaze towards systemic issues...
Both Starbucks and Luckin’s market strategies have taken China by storm. It can perhaps be most aptly said that Starbucks preferred to focus on cultural values while Luckin capitalized on societal trends. Regardless,...
While China may be the world’s largest rare earths producer, it is also the world’s largest importer. As the world’s third largest rare earths producing country, Myanmar holds unintended sway over the health of China’s...
The US-China trade war, combined with stringent sanctions restricting Beijing’s access to a majority of the chip market, has impaired China’s semiconductor aspirations. As a result, Chinese companies have employed...
A global RMB is a strategic long-term policy goal for China, and a deep offshore market is a crucial prerequisite. As a key offshore RMB hub, Hong Kong will have to embrace supportive policy and build financial market...
In the halcyon days before the pandemic, when headlines were dominated by the mundane trials and tribulations of the US-China trade war, China enacted a sweeping new Foreign Investment Law as the worst of the hostilities...
As he undertakes a thorough review of Trump’s China policies, President Biden is expected to formulate a China strategy that puts American interests first and strengthens US competitiveness in the global market. While he...
China’s economy has made an impressive recovery since the onset of the pandemic, and the stringent health measures and targeted economic stimulus enacted by Beijing’s top leaders have been remarkably successful. However,...
Chinese companies are increasingly looking towards foreign markets to unlock new growth opportunities abroad while diversifying away political risk at home. Haidilao and Tencent are two prominent examples of companies...
As BRI infrastructure projects stalled at the peak of the pandemic, Beijing found an opportunity to rebrand the decaying initiative. To maintain ties with BRI member countries while providing China the maneuverability to...
As the second largest eSports market in the world, China is cashing in on opportunities within the growing industry. Governmental support has elevated eSports to an officially mandated sport and has fostered career...
A bubble-prone housing market has been one of the most challenging sectors within the vast array of economic issues that China has faced on its road to economic modernization. One of the key approaches harnessed by...
Amendments to China’s Patent Law are set to take effect later this year. The changes promise to strengthen patent enforcement in China in a variety of areas and should allow foreign companies operating in China to better...
A historic speech given by China’s paramount leader Xi Jinping in late 2020 highlighted the past and future importance of Shenzhen, a city pivotal to the nation’s continued economic rise. Within his speech, Xi laid out a...
As the early epicenter of the pandemic, 2020 brought Wuhan countless challenges. One year later, the city is cautiously optimistic about its recovery. Despite COVID’s lingering impression on local consumer...
Boasting bipartisan support and a track record of effective work in US-China relations, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai shows unique promise for repairing trade relations that have bottomed at all time lows. Given...
After only a dozen years since promulgating its initial Anti-Monopoly Law, currently proposed revisions promise to strengthen anti-monopoly enforcement in China and reshape the regulatory landscape in the world’s second...
A recent string of high-profile SOE defaults have revived hopes for market reform of China’s inefficient state sector. However, despite appearances to the contrary, Beijing continues to push for greater state control...
In 2015, President Xi committed to eradicating rural poverty by the end of 2020, and despite the economic distress brought on by the pandemic, China declared its momentous victory. While a mix of state policy and private...
Michael Jordan and Bruce Lee have been making news in China’s trademark scene over recent years with cases aimed at protecting the legitimate IP rights of foreign persons and entities in China. Amendments to China’s...
Accounting fraud at two highly visible Chinese companies have shaken the confidence of global investors while prompting US policymakers and exchanges to push for stronger accounting requirements for overseas companies...
At first viewed as an olive branch amidst a spiraling Sino-Australian trade war, the now finalized Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is unlikely to ease mounting tensions. The untested dispute settlement...
As Hong Kong’s economy continues to decline, retail, tourism, and foreign investment dollars have assumed a newfound importance to the Chinese economy. An up-and-comer is rising from the shadows to challenge Hong Kong’s...
In the run-up to Ant Financial’s behemoth IPO, the fintech giant's suspiciously light balance sheet triggered the release of draft rules by Chinese regulators that would significantly impact the firm’s operating model....
Despite its history of strict regulation against the industry, China’s gaming market is flourishing. Chinese MMOs and RPGs are topping lists around the globe while high-quality cross-platform releases, along with...
To achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060, China needs to ditch coal-fired electric power plants for renewable alternatives. However, doing so will require dismantling an antiquated system of incentives that are...
Following its first economic contraction since Mao Zedong held office, China has set precedent as the first major economy to return to growth. While the road to recovery has been riddled with bumps indicative of lopsided...
Navigating the Chinese market had been challenging for international luxury fashion brands even before the pandemic, but shifting consumer trends in the world’s largest luxury goods market now threatens the bottom line...
China’s rapid economic development and rising household incomes have enabled a broader consumer base to invest in a healthy lifestyle by means of vitamins and dietary supplements. While domestic brands compete via...
Over the last decade, Beijing has spent billions of dollars developing AI technologies to become a global leader in autonomous vehicles. If domestic tech giants can lower the marginal cost of AVs, offer a safe and secure...
China’s leaders are meeting in October to finalize proposals for the country’s fourteenth Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). As tensions with the US intensify and economic growth slows, Beijing is under pressure to produce a...
China built its economic engine on the back of its strong manufacturing capabilities. However, 2020 has presented unique challenges for its producers as the nation contends with global trade tensions amid the pandemic...
As a global initiative unprecedented in scope, the “One Belt, One Road” initiative often gets a negative reputation. News pundits accuse Beijing of using OBOR as a means of forcing unsustainable levels of debt onto...
US sanctions designed to limit China’s access to cutting edge semiconductor technology have challenged Beijing’s ambition for technological hegemony. Even with significant state-backed investment over the past 30 years,...
Since Deng Xiaoping’s 1979 Reform and Opening Up Policy began, Western brands have faced headwinds entering the Chinese market. Some have succeeded, but there have been many more failures. We’ll take a longer,...
China is leveraging its global leadership in green energy development to engage OBOR nations in overseas green growth initiatives. However, in the shadows of China’s green campaign exists a more calculated game to secure...
Oil is critical to ensuring China’s growth over the next few decades, and securing it has become a top priority for the nation. By financing multiple OBOR development projects to circumvent key oil supply chains through...
The Hong Kong national security law created a series of provisions that restrict the flow of information and suppress the civil unrest within the region. In the short term, this new law has had a profound impact on the...
Internationally, McDonald’s has long been dominant, but in China, KFC reigns king. KFC has twice as many outlets, with experts having long explained KFC’s dominance through better localization efforts. While this...
China is considering a new series of free trade agreements to rebalance trade objectives with its national interests. Two of the largest agreements in history, the RCEP and TPP11, may not only help China expand its...
AI technology dominance is playing a larger role in China’s global ambitions. Now, Beijing and tech players alike are seeking to push the industry to the next level through AI Open Source Software - a framework that...
China’s cloud computing market, while the second largest in the world, remains a fraction of the size of its US competitor. As Beijing continues to prioritize investment in this sector, China’s tech giants will continue...
The Curse of the Skyscraper is a theory that claims that skyscrapers are usually a sign of poor investment and an economy careening towards recession. China has over half the world’s skyscrapers, and the central...
In the third article in “The Rise of the Renminbi” series, TCG explores the role of bilateral swap agreements (BSAs) in China’s RMB internationalization ambitions. Despite Beijing’s hopes that the initiative would foster...
Recent weeks have highlighted an increased scrutiny from Washington towards US-listed Chinese companies. In May 2020, the US Senate passed legislation requiring foreign companies listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq to open up...
The ‘Era of Live Streaming E-Commerce’ first blew up in 2019, creating a new industry at the intersection of e-commerce and live streaming. The pandemic has proven to be a major opportunity for this industry, both in...
Today, China eats more crawdads than the rest of the world combined. The story of this crustacean’s journey from Louisiana to China is one of accident, ingenuity and natural market forces. In a time of isolationism and...
Since 2009, the Chinese government has looked to consumer subsidies to bolster its domestic electric vehicle market. In addition, strong domestic brands and supportive policy have helped the industry to develop into the...
Continuing upon the first article in “The Rise of the Renminbi” series, TCG explores China’s strategic approach to the long journey towards RMB internationalization. China has intertwined its global RMB ambitions with...
While the pandemic reveals the dangers of overreliance on a single nation’s production facilities, Washington is calling on American MNCs to shift supply chains away from China. However, the economic relationship between...
The narrative of AIA and Ping An is one familiar to Western brands that enter China - with many fallen prey to the pitfalls of misaligned cultural values. AIA had not fully weighed the taboo of death when it entered the...
In its push for an international RMB, China squares off against the “impossible trinity,” an economic principle stipulating that no open economy can simultaneously manage exchange rates, control monetary policy, and...
2020 is certain to be an arduous year for VCs around the globe; however, investors in China will emerge from the pandemic with a unique opportunity to invest in innovative companies at a discount. While China’s capital...
China introduced the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative to foster a Chinese-driven international trade initiative focused on regional economic collaboration. While the West may be concerned about the geopolitical...
China plans to drive global demand for the RMB by introducing a PBOC-backed digital currency into OBOR and other Chinese-driven global trade initiatives to lubricate cross border trade. While a digital RMB and China’s...
China is pursuing top foreign talent and investment to strengthen its fintech industry. The industry offers easy access to capital and supportive regulation that provide substantial market potential for ambitious market...
As Chinese factories open their doors, American buyers close theirs. Amid the backdrop of waning foreign demand, Beijing has introduced several critical trade-friendly policies intended to support the resumption of...
Once the coronavirus outbreak is contained and business returns to ordinary operations, the Chinese market will continue to offer the unique opportunities that originally attracted global investors. With patience and an...
While the Phase One trade deal marks a milestone in the US-China Trade War, it will likely disappoint foreign businesses seeking improvements in intellectual property rights protections and enhanced market access in...
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