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Tag: China

China Tech under the Squeeze

On the heels of Didi going public, China’s Cyberspace Administration came down hard and suspended the registration of new users from the company. What’s going on? As Springfield’s lyrics go, “There’s something happening here. But what it is ain’t exactly clear.” I begin the series of posts looking at the regulation of Tech in China.

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India bans TikTok

In light of the recent conflicts, India has made a move to ban TikTok and Wechat and 57 other apps, made by firms that are all based in China. This ban is a big loss for ByteDance, as TikTok had surprisingly “cracked” the challenging mobile market in India. I explain the appeal of Tiktok in India. The issue with the Indian market typifies that challenges that face Chinese Internet firms that seek to go global.

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Assorted: Ladakh, O’Connor and Thiel

In light of the ongoing skirmishes in Ladakh region the Indian subcontinent, I came across an interesting essay by Peter Worthington, who co-founded Toronto Sun (and who was its editor-in-chief for 12 years), on his first-hand observations in India-China conflict of 1962. It is an informative essay despite its brevity, with many highlights including a searing description of the valor of Sikh units despite the loss, an interview with sorrowful Nehru is visited by a large rat running across the carpet (Worthington feels sorry for him), and an interlude with Dalai Lama where he reminisces about Heinrich Harrer (played by Brad Pitt in Seven Years in Tibet).  Both India and China seemed embarrassed – one because was defeated so easily,…

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Review: Notes From China

Every reader likely knows Barbara Tuchman as one of the excellent writers and historians from the 20th century. This book was an apertif before heading into her Pulitzer-winning book on Stilwell. These notes are based her visit to China with her daughter, over six weeks covering eleven cities and some rural towns. (About double the time spent compared to my last trip to China). A fascinating snapshot of life in China in 1970s, particularly the black and white plates, and her observations of art in China. Tuchman herself notes that this book was a brief project between considerably important projects. The second part is based on her New Yorker essay, “If Mao Had Come to Washington“ discussing how Roosevelt-Mao meeting (which…

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