Ha

I think the real challenge in understanding contemporary China is this. There were a considerable number of foreigners living in China just prior to 2018, and a lot of their visas were not renewed. Some of this was because of increased vigilance in checking whether they had the proper degrees and paperwork. Some of it was because the government decided that for-profit after-hours English programs were creating social divisions that were making meritocracy untenable. With the passing of new laws, many of the foreigners who were the least qualified were swept away. This happened at a great transitional time in China along many lines. China was already in the process of cleaning up the water, air, and investing unthinkable amounts of new homes for the poor, new roads, and tens of thousands of kilometers of high-speed rail. Tens of thousands of foreigners went home in 2018. And then, during the first months of the pandemic, perhaps one or two hundred thousand foreigners also went home. By the end of the Pandemic in 2023, the only foreigners remaining in China were true lovers of China, their people, and culture. People with families here. People with massive investments, and people with very high qualifications. Two divergent narratives emerged. Those who were sour that they were swept away, or disappointed that they left, and secondly, those who emerged with higher positions, and more depth of understand. Of course, not all who left were unqualified. Some genuinely wanted to be with their families at a complex global moment. Having said that, there was an acute reduction in drunken foreigners following this period. But something had changed, other than the evaporation of alcoholics, and tenuous long-term visitors. China has changed. In the space of about a decade, starting around 2012 or so, but largely unnoticed until its effect by 2018, or 2020, and then 2023. China cleaned all its waterways, moved heavy industry away from cities, and made these facilities far cleaner. China became the world leader in high-speed rail, launched the most advanced clean energy cars the world had ever seen, increased its solar energy capacity to equal the rest of the world combined. And for all practical metrics, virtually ended homelessness. Wages continued to grow at pace, while overall unemployment remained around 5%, and the cost of living stayed the same. China, today, is enjoying a cleaner environment, the world’s best infrastructure ever, 90% homeownership, 40% family savings rates, and opulence that is hard to explain to those outside of China. China is now a model of economic prosperity, unheard of at this scale. And it did it without imperialism. So, these two groups of foreign narrators see China very differently. Those living in, or travelling to China since 2023, and those who left before 2018 or so, know two different China’s. Very slowly though, the world is starting to see that the true state of contemporary China. This is outraging those clinging to their outdated perspectives. Soon though, I am convinced, their discordant, and inaccurate story telling will convince no-one of consequence. Reality is persistent. And China’s reality is one of which the world is increasingly aware. China is the most advanced, peaceful, and economically prosperous nation of scale the world has ever known. It’s time we learn from China’s example.

رأي الشخصي البسيط، القطاع الخاص بكيفهم يوظفون اللي يبغونه. القطاع الحكومي توطين وشكرا بس نحتاج a good private sector الاسعار بتقل على الناس والجودة تزيد

If Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham accords, all other Muslim countries will follow. Despite all the cope on the internet, Saudi is indeed the leader of Muslim nations. They pray at the direction of Kaaba after all.

for startup founders with chinese (or hong kong) nationality who want to build in the US, this recent wave of news feels increasingly concerning. - bloomberg reports china is increasing restrictions on overseas travel for some top ai talent, and cases like manus suggest stronger control over founders and acquisitions. - in the case of manus, the government allegedly blocked a potential acquisition deal by meta, called the founder back, and then restricted their ability to travel abroad afterwards. - at the same time, the US is reportedly tightening parts of the green card process, with more cases potentially requiring applicants to return to their home country for consular processing. taken together, i wouldn’t be surprised if investors start getting worried about what happens when founders have to go back to their home country for visa/green card.

The reason the Chinese Century (or half-century) will be so much lamer than the American Century is that 20th century America believed in the rest of the world, while 21st century China believes that it IS the world.

They're doing this because there's a risk of their AI researchers being kidnapped or even assassinated overseas.

CHINA IS RESTRICTING OVERSEAS TRAVEL FOR TOP AI PROFESSIONALS IN PRIVATE FIRMS SUCH AS ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING AND DEEPSEEK

جنسن هوانغ يكشف أحد أسرار سرعة NVIDIA في التنفيذ: “لا أحب أن أدخل في مشكلة ويقول لي أحدهم: يستغرق هذا العمل اليوم 74 يومًا، ويمكننا تقليصه إلى 72 يومًا. أفضل أن أعود إلى نقطة الصفر وأسأل: لماذا يستغرق 74 يومًا أصلًا؟ وفي كثير من الأحيان ستتفاجأ. قد تكتشف أنه يمكن إنجازه في 6 أيام فقط.” هذه هي الفجوة بين تحسين العملية والتشكيك في القيود التي بُنيت عليها العملية من الأساس. وبعد بناء شركات تجاوزت قيمتها 300 مليون دولار، لاحظتُ نمطًا يتكرر دائمًا: أفضل القادة والمشغلين لا يسألون كيف نجعل النظام الحالي أفضل، بل يسألون أولًا: هل يجب أن يوجد هذا النظام بهذه الصورة أصلًا؟