Ep. 40 Inside China’s Leading AI Labs with Kevin Xu

Ep. 40 Inside China’s Leading AI Labs with Kevin Xu

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Kevin Xu, investor and author of the newsletter, Interconnected, about China’s leading AI labs and the country’s AI trajectory after the DeepSeek moment. From the rise of open‑weight models and a new generation of homegrown PhD‑level AI researchers to working around constraints on advanced chips and grappling with AI‑induced anxiety in Chinese society, Kevin shares insights from his latest visit with top AI developers across China. He also argues that “co‑opetition” will define the future of U.S.–China AI relations. Connect with Kevin Xu: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinxu/] * Twitter [https://twitter.com/kevin_xu] Interconnected: https://interconnected.blog/ [https://interconnected.blog/]  Readsail: readsail.com [http://readsail.com]  00:00 - Introduction to Chinese AI resilience amid US restrictions 02:08 - Kevin’s recent China trip overview and labs visited 05:09 - Open weight models from Chinese labs surpassing US regressions 06:28 - Impact of Deep Sea moment on global AI attention and open sourcing strategies 08:03 - The importance of the model layer and hardware collaboration in AI progress 09:00 - Young talent and their significant roles in Chinese AI labs 11:06 - How Chinese labs prioritize research despite compute constraints 13:37 - The critical relationship between chip design and AI model development 16:04 - US-China AI ecosystem rivalry and joint development of domestic chips 18:09 - Leading applications: from coding to consumer AI products 20:32 - Energy supply and infrastructure differences shaping AI research environments 23:17 - The strategic importance of open source in China’s global positioning 26:24 - The debate over open source versus closed source for large models 28:42 - Trends towards increasingly closed models driven by profitability 29:13 - The societal perception of AI, job anxiety, and public engagement in China 33:17 - Demographic challenges and AI's role in addressing them 37:11 - Competition versus coopetition: a balanced perspective on US-China AI relations 41:11 - The US-China AI dialogue, safety protocols, and future cooperation prospects 43:14 - The impact of geopolitical events like Meta and Manus deals on AI innovation 44:45 - Talent migration and government policies in AI talent retention and restriction 48:03 - Final insights on the state of US and Chinese AI development and cooperation  Perspectives with Wenchi Yu YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Ep. 39 Boeing, China, and the Future of Aviation with Mark Atkeson

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Mark Atkeson, a veteran aviation executive with over three decades of on-the-ground experience across both the American and Chinese aerospace industries, to unpack what the latest US–China summit and a smaller‑than‑expected Boeing deal really mean for the future of flying in and out of China. Drawing on decades of experience working with Air China, Pratt & Whitney, GA Telesis, and Chinese airlines, Mark takes us from 1990s engine maintenance in Beijing to today’s vast but stressed Chinese aviation market, where high‑speed rail, post‑COVID headwinds, and state‑owned conservatism are reshaping the industry. Along the way, he explains how Boeing lost ground to Airbus, why China’s homegrown COMAC jet is still struggling to catch up, and how cargo, e‑commerce, and aviation supply chains are becoming a new front in US–China strategic competition. 00:00 Introduction to US-China Aviation Dynamics 01:59 Mark Atkeson's Career in Aviation and China Experience 03:56 Challenges in Chinese Aircraft Maintenance and OEMs 05:43 China's Aircraft Manufacturing and Local Production 08:09 Aftermarket Parts and Maintenance in China 10:27 China's Aviation Sector Size and Growth Forecast 12:13 Impact of COVID-19 and Infrastructure Investment 14:42 Chinese Airlines' Business Model and Profitability 17:08 High-Speed Rail vs Air Travel in China 18:45 Post-COVID Recovery of Chinese Airlines 20:20 Management and Efficiency in Chinese State-Owned Airlines 22:41 Chinese Airlines' Unique Routing and Geopolitical Factors 24:51 Role of Cargo and E-commerce in Aviation 26:27 Boeing's Historical and Strategic Role in China 28:26 Boeing vs Airbus Market Share in China 30:45 COMAC's Development and Market Position 33:51 Supply Chain Challenges and Local Manufacturing 36:12 China's Repair Capabilities and Industry Progress 38:02 Future Outlook: Can China Rival Boeing and Airbus? Perspectives with Wenchi Yu YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Ep. 38 Taiwan’s $25 Billion Special Defense Budget: Partisan Politics, Drones, and Deterrence?

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Dr. Alexander C. Huang, a former KMT Director of International Affairs, a cross-strait war game strategist, and an expert on the PLA, about why the Taiwanese government’s US$40 billion proposal was cut to US$25 billion, what the fight over special versus regular budgets reveals about Taiwan’s politics, and how decisions on Foreign Military Sales (FMS), commercial deals, and domestic drone production will affect Taiwan’s defense posture for years to come. 00:00 Taiwan's Defense Budget Overview 02:49 Political Dynamics Behind the Budget Approval 05:40 Debate on Domestic Production and Drones 08:45 Urgency of Defense Needs and Procurement Challenges 11:43 Opposition Perspectives and Political Consensus 14:41 Future of Taiwan's Defense Spending 17:31 Implications of the Xi-Trump Summit 20:35 Lessons Learned and Future Strategies Perspectives with Wenchi Yu YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Ep. 37 The New Space Age: How Privatization Fuels China’s Aerospace Rise

Host Wenchi Yu speaks to Allen Fung, formerly with Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group, about China’s emerging commercial space sector and the broader “second space age,” tracing how SpaceX’s 2015 Falcon 9 landing helped spur Beijing to open its rocket industry to private firms and create a fast-growing ecosystem around launch and satellites. Allen explains how reusable rockets and cheaper access to orbit are enabling new possibilities, such as space-based data centers powered by constant solar energy and cooled by radiating heat into space, as well as speculative but potentially transformative ideas like manufacturing artificial diamond semiconductors in microgravity to achieve phosphorus-doped “negative type” diamond devices that are difficult to make on Earth. Allen argues that China and hubs like Hong Kong intend not just to follow U.S. pioneers like SpaceX and Blue Origin but to help shape the next phase of global space and technology competition. 00:00 The New Space Age: China's Aerospace Sector 02:26 China's Response to Artemis 2 04:51 The Rise of Private Rocket Companies in China 09:04 The Role of Hong Kong in Aerospace 12:17 The Competitive Landscape of Aerospace Companies 16:15 The Future of Space Manufacturing 26:03 Semiconductors in Space: A New Frontier Perspectives with Wenchi Yu YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395

Ep. 36 Germany's China Shock: Navigating Economic Dependence and Geopolitical Risks with Noah Barkin

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Noah Barkin — senior advisor at Rhodium Group [https://rhg.com/] and author of the popular “Watching China in Europe [https://substack.com/@noahbarkin]” newsletter — about the rapidly shifting landscape of Germany's relationship with China. Germany is losing roughly 10,000 manufacturing jobs per month. As European leaders line up to visit Beijing and global trade tensions intensify, Germany finds itself caught between two worlds — deeply entangled with China economically but increasingly alarmed by the dependencies and security risks arising from this close relationship. From factory floors in Anhui to 5G towers in Hamburg, the choices Germany makes about China will shape not only its future, but Europe's. This episode is a collaboration with the China Strategic Risks Institute [https://www.csri.global/].    00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 02:01 The State of Germany-China Relations Today 03:27 China's Support for Russia and Geopolitical Tensions 05:23 Perception of China's Support for Russia in Germany 07:05 Economic Shifts in German-China Business Relations 09:16 China Shock and Its Impact on German Industry 11:35 Auto Industry Investment and Deindustrialization 14:11 Cost Efficiency and Localization in China 16:44 Supply Chain Ecosystems and China's Industrial Advantage 18:43 European Trade Strategies and De-risking Efforts 21:33 EU Trade Policy and Tariffs on Chinese Goods 23:14 Pharmaceutical Industry and Chinese Competition 25:19 Critical Infrastructure and 5G Security Concerns 29:17 De-risking Supply Chains and Europe's Dependence on China 32:18 EU vs. Germany: Divergent Approaches to China 34:57 US Policies and Europe's China Strategy 38:08 Conclusion: Europe's Hedging Strategy and Future Outlook Perspectives with Wenchi Yu YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkK1a7U8kP0TgXhvI5Bj70H4cPPlapCdQ&si=RuA_jZROR2ynRbxH Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6kXiEF08IjtT3j1DyEnBbG?si=68ab3ea172594620 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395