In this episode of China Decode, hosts Alice Han and James Kynge break down China’s accelerating push for self-sufficiency — from tech to industrial goods — and what that means for a global trading system that once relied on Chinese demands. They unpack a tense week in Asia, with Washington, Beijing, and Tokyo navigating security warnings, diplomatic pressure, and Taiwan’s massive new $40 billion defense buildup. And they look at Beijing's latest experiment to revive spending: using school holidays to turbocharge travel and jump-start the services sector.

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