(Preview) ‘Moderately Loose’ and Cautiously Stimulating; Nvidia Under Investigation; Broadening Export Bans; A TikTok Verdict and a Trump Prayer

Sharp China with Bill Bishop

Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.

---

Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism

---

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the latest messaging from Beijing on efforts to stimulate the economy in 2025 and beyond. Topics include: Politburo language that echoes 2008, muted reactions from the mainland markets, why the ultimate policy decisions may not be made until the PRC has more clarity on Trump's intentions, and more. From there: Nvidia finds itself at the center of an antitrust probe, while the PRC restrictions on critical minerals are broader than initially thought, and drone components are now also being restricted from export to the US and Europe. At the end: Reviewing last Friday's verdict from the DC Circuit in TikTok v. Garland, and charting the next steps for TikTok and the Trump administration as January 19th approaches and TikTok faces a ban in the United States.

To email the show: [e-mail]

---

@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube

@Stratechery Channel — YouTube

---

December Politburo meeting ahead of the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC) — Sinocism

Politburo meeting and CEWC; Nvidia antitrust investigation; Trump and China; TikTok's narrowin path in US — Sinocism

China’s Politburo revives crisis-era language in pledge to bolster economy — SCMP

China loosens monetary policy stance for first time in 14 years — Financial Times

Nvidia Probed in China Over Possible Antimonopoly Violations — Wall Street Journal

Nvidia Is Now Too Powerful for Beijing to Constrain — New York Times

China’s Critical Minerals Embargo Is Even Tougher Than Expected — New York Times

Geopollutical Warfare — Doomberg

China Tightens Its Hold on Minerals Needed to Make Computer Chips — New York Times

China Is Cutting Off Drone Supplies Critical to Ukraine War Effort — Bloomberg

Unidentified Drones Light Up New Jersey’s Skies, Baffling Residents — New York Times

TIKTOK INC. AND BYTEDANCE LTD. V. MERRICK B. GARLAND — DC Circuit

Incoming national security adviser says Trump is 'ready to take big swings and do big things’ — Fox Business

Rep. Mike Waltz calls out the Biden campaign's TikTok account: 'They should be ashamed' — Fox News

Inside the Strange, Strained Courtship of Donald Trump and Mega-Donor Jeff Yass — Vanity Fair

Big Republican Donor Jeff Yass Owned Shares in Trump Media Merger Partner — New York Times

TikTok Hires Francisco And Mooppan For High Court Fight — Law360