Good evening. And happy Lunar New Year. In the spirit of the holiday, our cover story this week takes a step back to reflect on the current moment in U.S.-China relations. It is an excerpt from Dale Copeland’s new book, A World Safe for Commerce, in which he lays out why today’s great power struggle should be seen as very different from those the U.S. has previously faced. Elsewhere, we have infographics on BYD and its peers’ latest move into shipping; an interview with Cui Jian on the power of rock ‘n’ roll; a reported piece on Beijing’s crackdown on the healthcare industry; and an op-ed from Nicholas Borst on the financial fallout from China’s property market. If you’re not already a paid subscriber to The Wire, please sign up here.
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The New Great Game
In this age of great power struggle, an all-out Cold War, let alone a regional hot war, is not inevitable. And that’s largely because of the unique challenges facing China. Dale Copeland lays out why the issue of peace or war in East Asia is very much in the hands of U.S. policy makers.
The Big Picture: Automakers at Sea
As China becomes the world’s biggest auto exporter, BYD and its peers are moving into shipping. This week’s infographics by Aaron Mc Nicholas look at the moves that Chinese auto manufacturers have made to enter the sea freight industry, and examines what changes this could mean for global shipping.
A Q&A with Cui Jian
Cui Jian is a Beijing-based, Chinese-Korean singer-songwriter, guitarist, trumpeter, music producer and film director who is often referred to as the “Father of Chinese Rock.” He reached the apex of his popularity during the Tiananmen Square protests, and his original hit songs became anthems of the student demonstrators. Cui performed in the square shortly before the protests were violently broken up by the People’s Liberation Army. In this week’s Q&A with Scott Savitt, he talks about his career, from Tiananmen Square to film making and festivals.
Cui Jian
Illustration by Kate Copeland
A Crackdown Comes for Healthcare
In an effort to lower medical costs at a time of slowing economic growth, Beijing’s corruption crackdown turned to the healthcare sector last summer. But as Katrina Northrop reports, six months in, many of the underlying issues in the sector remain unchanged.
The Financial Fallout from China’s Property Market
Unless Beijing takes some bold steps the real estate slump will continue to hinder the economy, argues Nicholas Borst in this week’s op-ed.
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