China Decode: Taiwan's Record Defense Budget, Evergrande's Life Sentence, and China's Robot Boom

China Decode: Taiwan's Record Defense Budget, Evergrande's Life Sentence, and China's Robot Boom

Alice Han and James Kynge start in Taipei, where the government has approved a record $35 billion defense budget for 2027 — an 18.2% jump — coming right on the heels of this year's Han Kuang drills, which mobilized nearly 22,000 reservists and adopted U.S.-style command tactics for the first time. They dig into what it means for Taiwan's military readiness, and whether this is more about deterring China or convincing Washington. Then: Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan — once China's richest man — has been sentenced to life in prison for financial fraud on a staggering scale, closing the book on the world's largest corporate liquidation tied to the property sector. Alice and James ask whether the sentencing does anything to fix China's still-struggling housing market. Finally: China's humanoid robot industry is booming — Chinese vendors account for 97% of global shipments — but who's actually buying them, and how much of the demand is real versus a "circular financing" loop that inflates the numbers? Subscribe to China Decode on Substack for weekly analysis, livestreams, and deep dives into the biggest story shaping the global economy: chinadecode.profgmedia.com [http://chinadecode.profgmedia.com]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

No Mercy / No Malice: I Disagree

Audio excerpted with permission of Penguin Random House Audio from I DISAGREE [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803493/i-disagree-by-jessica-tarlov/audio/] by Jessica Tarlov, read by the author. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

The Week: The Right Turns Against the Rich

George Hahn connects the dots across the week’s biggest stories: why California may impose a one-time tax on billionaire wealth, how Tucker Carlson could pair right-wing culture with populist economics, and why China’s decades-long infrastructure strategy may give it an advantage in the AI race. Plus, Scott shares why the key to stronger relationships is to stop keeping score. We’d love your feedback as we build this show! Let us know what you think: info@profgmedia.com [info@profgmedia.com]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Who Will Power the 21st Century? — with Hannah Ritchie

Hannah Ritchie, deputy editor of Our World in Data, joins Scott Galloway to examine the new global energy race.  They discuss whether AI’s power demands are being overstated, how China built its clean-energy advantage, and why the United States risks falling behind on electrification. Plus, Hannah explains why the climate outlook is more hopeful (and more complicated) than the headlines suggest. Check out Hannah’s Substack, By the Numbers, here [https://hannahritchie.substack.com/].  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

The Truth About the Entrepreneurship Boom, and How to Manage Cash Flow as a Founder

Scott Galloway explains why the solopreneur boom isn't actually distorting the jobs report, breaks down how founders can survive a brutal early cash flow crunch, and shares how he thinks about talking to his kids about complicated family relationships. Want to be featured in a future episode? Send a voice recording to officehours@profgmedia.com, or drop your question in the r/ScottGalloway subreddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/ScottGalloway/comments/1vdrsoz/got_a_question_for_scott_ask_here_august_thread/?share_id=PotgDlGOO42KpEq8O83OI&utm_content=share_button&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1]. Plus, you can now call or text Scott a question at our new Office Hours hotline: ‪(201) 472-3656‬. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]