China: Indonesia & Trump Tariffs, Manufacturing Dominance & Involution 内卷 & Education Labor Mismatch with Jianggan Li -E455
Jianggan Li, Founder & CEO of Momentum Works, and Jeremy Au talked about three main themes:
1. Indonesia & Trump Tariffs: Indonesia's new tariffs target imports like China-manufactured footwear, clothing, and ceramics to protect 65M local micro, small and medium enterprises employing 109M people. These trade barriers have negatively impacted local customers, e.g a hotpot restaurant struggling to get custom-branded plates. Similar measures include Brazil's quota for steel products, South Africa's tariffs on solar panels, and Trump's proposal to increase US tariffs to 60% on Chinese goods.
Vietnam: New President Tô Lâm, Immediate China State Visit & USA Rejection "Non-Market Economy"- E467
Valerie Vu, Founding Partner of Ansible Ventures, and Jeremy Au discussed:
1. New President Tô Lâm: The death and state-mandated mourning period for Vietnam's former Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong culminated in the swift elevation of Tô Lâm from the Ministry of Public Defense to President. This transition exhibited the controlled and planned nature of political leadership where political changes are orchestrated to ensure continuity and stability within the government.
China: Black Myth Wukong $1B AAA Game, $86B Tencent Publisher (League of Legends, SEA Group & VNG) & Real Estate Bubble Burst - E470
Jianggan Li, Founder & CEO of Momentum Works, and Jeremy Au discussed:
1. Black Myth Wukong $1B AAA Game: Jianggan and Jeremy examined the reinterpretation of 'Journey to the West' in the gaming blockbuster 'Black Myth: Wukong'. The developers overcame huge skepticism, incorporated complex cultural narratives into gameplay and overcame technical challenges to balance traditional storytelling with modern gaming technology. They also discussed the parallels with Indian and Southeast Asia mythology.