Sharp China: All Eyes on Iran; Two Sessions Questions; Alibaba, DeepSeek and Distillation; Another UK Spying Scandal
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Sharp China: All Eyes on Iran; Two Sessions Questions; Alibaba, DeepSeek and Distillation; Another UK Spying Scandal

56:28 Mar 5, 2026
About this episode
This episode of Sharp China is outside the paywall. Show Notes: On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the war in Iran and its implications for the PRC. Topics include: Upsides and downsides for China, why US strategy was likely related to Iran and not the PRC, questions about the Strait of Hormuz, the Iran partnership and PRC global leadership, implications for Taiwan, why a Beijing visit from Donald Trump remains likely, and yet another US war in the Middle East… From there: What to watch for at the Two Sessions this week, an exodus at Alibaba, waiting for a new DeepSeek model, and distillation alarm at American AI labs. At the end: Another spy scandal engulfs Labour in the UK, and fun facts about Spider-Man: No Way Home and its failure to clear $2 billion worldwide.You can listen to the podcast in the app:Or click here for instructions to add the podcast to your preferred player. To subscribe to Sinocism, click here.To subscribe to Stratechery, click here.And if you enjoy this podcast please share it far and wide:Related Readings:Reactions to the US-Israel attack on Iran; Prepping for the Two Sessions; Science and technology insurance -- SinocismReactions to Iran war; US-China; Two Sessions; DeepSeek and Qwen -- Sinocism China Calls on All Sides to Protect Ships Transiting Hormuz -- BloombergWhat’s behind China’s careful response to its ally Iran after US-Israel strikes? -- SCMPTaiwan Arms Sale Approved by Congress Is Delayed as Trump Plans Visit to Beijing -- NYTInside the plan to kill Ali Khamenei -- FTWhat to Watch at China’s Two Sessions in 2026 -- Center for China Analysis
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