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We've talked China before... 👇👇👇

Can China outgrow its debt?

Achieving this transition whilst deleveraging is a monumental challenge. China’s rise or fall (and everything in between) will have a huge impact on the investing landscape for years to come.

MacrodesiacTim Vollans

Now we're going to talk China some more...

Specifically, why do China seem to hate their Big Tech giants?

Didi was the latest to feel the wrath of the regulators almost immediately after its U.S. IPO.

The charge?

“serious violations of laws and regulations in collecting and using personal information.”

Whatever that means.

And they're not stopping at Didi...

After Didi, China launches cybersecurity probe into more U.S.-listed firms

China’s cyberspace watchdog said on Monday it is investigating online recruiter Zhipin.com, and truck-hailing apps Huochebang and Yunmanman, ramping up a crackdown on the mainland’s tech companies amid tightened regulations on data security.

ReutersReuters

What's behind this?

Well, it's a bit of everything.

Genuine concerns about monopolistic practices & data security aside, it's hard to shake the impression that something deeper is in play.

Perhaps the 34 companies who have listed in the U.S. this year (raising a record $12.4bn) were rushing to get ahead of the regulators...

State media ran a critical piece on Didi's plans to IPO back in mid-June, so it can't have been any great shock when the notice came...

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It's often hard to understand Chinese decisions when looking in from the outside, so this opinion piece from within (Fang Xingdong: Chinese Internet companies need to make up "compliance" debts) is well worth a full read (Link is translated)

Here's a taster:

Obviously, this is our country's new progress in "strengthening anti-monopoly and preventing the disorderly expansion of capital", and it is also a new measure to implement China's cyber security system.

The call to end the barbaric growth of China's Internet has been around for several years. The so-called end of the barbaric era means that in addition to systematic rules and a good system, the system needs to be truly implemented to form a truly healthy order.

This time, the comprehensive activation of China's cyber security review mechanism indicates that Chinese Internet companies will officially bid farewell to the barbaric growth stage.
Establishing compliance awareness will become an important strategy for the development of Chinese Internet companies.

For all the talk of Chinese companies infiltrating Western entities it's easy to forget that it works both ways...

"China has restrictions on foreign investment in certain areas such as the Internet, news media, education, and finance.
However, through the VIE structure, foreign investment has bypassed many investment restrictions and has entered almost all areas of China's Internet."

Kendra Schaefer (Trivium) says that Beijing is breaking some eggs to make an omelette. It wants its internet companies to be compliant at home, and their first loyalties to be domestic - that's the prerequisite for going abroad.

It's not just about regulatory compliance. Media influence is also a big part of the equation.

Only one public opinion can be allowed...

WSJ News Exclusive | Beijing Asks Alibaba to Shed Its Media Assets

China’s government has asked Alibaba Group to dispose of its media assets, as officials grow more concerned about the technology giant’s sway over public opinion in the country.

The Wall Street JournalJing Yang

China’s government has asked Alibaba Group to dispose of its media assets, as officials grow more concerned about the technology giant’s sway over public opinion in the country, according to people familiar with the matter.

Discussions over the matter have been held since early this year after Chinese regulators reviewed a list of media assets owned by the Hangzhou-based company, whose mainstay business is online retail.

Officials were appalled at how expansive Alibaba’s media interests have become and asked the company to come up with a plan to substantially curtail its media holdings, the people said. The government didn’t specify which assets would need to be unloaded.

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This is not a problem specific to China...

Remember this?

Facebook to pay record $5bn to settle privacy concerns

Social network must also establish an independent privacy committee that Mark Zuckerberg cannot control.

BBC NewsBBC News

Facebook is now officially too powerful, says the US government

Regulators filed a lawsuit claiming that the company has a monopoly on social networking and should divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp.

MIT Technology ReviewEileen Guo

One big difference is that Chinese companies actually pay attention to their government...

Big Tech breakups won’t happen: Let them fight it out!

A fight to the death, Gladiator style, then regulate the winner. The Hunger Games for Big Tech (but who gets the streaming rights...?)

MacrodesiacTim Vollans

Back to the point, recent CCP actions are aimed at bringing these big Tech companies back in line.

More regulation, a greater emphasis on toeing the party line (R.I.P. Jack Ma), and ensuring that power is never too concentrated in too few hands.

There can only be one monopoly in China: The CCP.

This thread is another good read, and highlights the evolution of the crackdowns, the emphasis on control. There will be more to come... 👇👇👇

No wonder China's stocks are lagging the world...

Here's an overview of what's going on in markets (and that funny red colour next to stock indices) 👇👇👇

What’s Going On?!

Woah.I thought yields were meant to be at like 3% by now?!I thought we were meant to be praising the bond vigilantes for being right?I thought that we were meant to see a treasury yield curve steeper than Everest?!Clearly not.

MacrodesiacDavid Belle

Go lifetime for the same cost as annual!! 👇👇👇