The Wire China

In the 1980s Masato Sagawa, a Japanese scientist and inventor, built a better magnet using #neodymium, a rare earth element. His magnets have since become essential components in a range of modern technologies, from power steering to iPhones and fighter jets.

"Working with China was seen as fostering development, helping China grow, moving people out of poverty. Trade was seen as generally beneficial... some people thought eventually a richer + freer China might move somewhat in the direction of democracy." buff.ly/Eiqx7r0

Beijing’s use of trade restrictions during coercive bargaining with the U.S. is increasingly bold, including tapping on a newly formalized sanctions toolkit. It has also carefully avoided using these tools in a way that commits it to any particular path of implementation.…

"A decade later, the memory of 709 remains a grim milestone in the CCP’s war on the rule of law. But it also remains a testament to the courage and resistance of those who fight for justice and rule of law inside a dictatorial system." buff.ly/U9O89DJ

"All bitcoin miners in the U.S. depend on [Bitmain’s] machines and chips. They are the most powerful, efficient machines in the market." — Nishant Sharma, founder of consultancy BlocksBridge buff.ly/XeUGFUg

MiniMax began releasing its models as open-source, or with their codes freely accessible, after DeepSeek popularized the approach. “If we had to start over, we would have gone open-source on day one,” CEO Yan Junjie said in February. buff.ly/mBqeHAE

10 years ago the Chinese govt launched the ‘709 crackdown’ targeting leading human rights lawyers, many of whom were detained & tortured. Teng Biao & Jerome Cohen write that while repression continues, so does the resistance of many determined lawyers. buff.ly/U9O89DJ

In the latest of a periodic series highlighting Chinese AI start-ups worth more than $1 billion, @economicsnoah profiles Shanghai-based firm MiniMax, which prides itself on being older than ChatGPT. buff.ly/mBqeHAE

"China presents significant revenue for Western EDA companies that can’t be easily replaced elsewhere. They know that each time they’re leaned on by the U.S. govt it’ll only speed up Chinese efforts to replace them." — Former semiconductor exec Woz Ahmed. buff.ly/40L1lyw

"We created the roadmap, but China is building it… All the shots on goal the U.S. is taking, China is trying to replicate." — Abigail Kukura, director of the Future Technology Platforms program at the Special Competitive Studies Project buff.ly/JLlrfsk

Easing of a ban on export of chip design software to China has come as a relief to U.S. firms + their customers. But it may be too soon to celebrate. While the ban gave the U.S. leverage in negotiations, it's been a wake-up call for China's chip industry. buff.ly/40L1lyw

Companies in China, the U.S. and Europe are racing to be the first to commercialize fusion. But no country is channeling as much money as China, where investors have poured almost $3 billion into private start-ups, while the state is injecting far more into national initiatives.…

In one of her first major interviews since leaving the Treasury in January, Janet Yellen talks with @bobdavis187 about her dealings with China, her concerns about where American trade policy is now headed — and her difficulties working within the Biden administration.…

Bitmain, the Chinese company that dominates the bitcoin mining equipment market, is looking to shed its ties to blacklisted Sophgo as it wins customers including Eric Trump’s new bitcoin venture. Noah Berman @economicsnoah reports on the company's plans to expand in the U.S.…