logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
17m 28s

China's Tech Crackdown

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Is China's behavior towards its innovators separating the country further from the world? That's the question on everybody's mind, as the Chinese authorities continue to exert their political power over the country's rising tech companies. George Magnus, associate at the China Centre at Oxford University warns that despite increasing western interest in the Chinese market, foreign investors should be wary about political clampdowns on companies. But Angela Zhang at the University of Hong Kong, argues some of the government's actions could be seen simply as prudent regulatory moves against the power of Big Tech. And Ker Gibbs, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, explains how businesses are navigating this intersection between politics and commerce.

Producer: Frey Lindsay.

(Picture: Logo of Didi Chuxing, China's largest ride-hailing company. Picture credit: Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
The impact of 'thirsty' data centres
We're in the US state of Georgia, where huge data centres need water to keep cool. But how is this need for cloud storage and AI capability affecting local residents and the environment?Presenter: Michelle Fleury Producer: Nathalie Jimenez(Image: Georgia resident Beverly Morris l ... Show More
17m 50s
Jul 8
Does university still get you a well-paid job?
Graduates are facing one of the toughest jobs markets in decades. We hear from students in India, the US and UK about whether they feel a university or college degree is worth it as we discuss the cost of attending university around the world and what your job prospects might be ... Show More
17m 27s
Jul 7
Returning to Ukraine?
The UN estimates that nearly seven million Ukrainians have left their home country since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Many have set up businesses in their new country - around 90,000 of those in Poland. We hear about the challenges they’ve faced, and the sectors ... Show More
17m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
China’s Congress: an inflection point?
The 20th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, which kicked off on Sunday, promises to be one of the most significant events for China in modern history, not only because President Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure an unprecedented third term, but also because it c ... Show More
25m 27s
Mar 2022
Changing China
How will shifts in China's economic policies affect global commerce? The nation is the world's second-biggest economy and it's been the centre of globalised manufacturing for over three decades. But after a global pandemic, an energy crisis and now war in Ukraine, is this going t ... Show More
28m 58s
Aug 2023
The Four Big Structural Forces Holding Back China's Economy
The Chinese economy is in a slump. Industrial production is down. Retail sales are down. The property industry continues to struggle. The People's Bank of China just did a surprise rate cut. So what's driving the decline and what can the government do about it? On this episode of ... Show More
45m 4s
Jul 2023
The China Threat
The government needs to radically change its approach to Chinese ambitions in the UK according to a report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee. The report says Chinese investment in the UK has gone unchecked. It warns that allowing China to develop significant sta ... Show More
28m 39s
Nov 2022
Is China’s economy in trouble?
Xi Jinping has begun an unprecedented third term as Chinese president, after securing his position at the Communist Party Congress. But key economic data was delayed until after the congress ended. It was lower than government targets, causing Chinese markets to fall. The Chinese ... Show More
23m 49s
Jun 2021
What Business Leaders Need to Know About China Now
Elsbeth Johnson, senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and Rana Mitter, professor of history at Oxford, argue that there's a lot about the Chinese political system and economy that business leaders from elsewhere in the world still misunderstand. They argue that de ... Show More
26m 12s
Jun 2023
Inside the U.S.-China Tech War
Over the last few years, the United States has moved to limit China’s technological rise. U.S.-led sanctions have imposed unprecedented limits on Beijing’s access to advanced computing chips. In response, China has accelerated its own efforts to develop its technological industry ... Show More
43m 10s
Dec 2023
China Made a Chip Breakthrough That Shocked the World
Both the Trump administration and the Biden administration made moves to constrain China's ability to build out an advanced homegrown technology industry. But the country is still investing billions in its chip sector and there are signs that it's really starting to pay off. Huaw ... Show More
45m 28s