China started 2025 with deflation, a property crisis and fears of a “lost decade” damping sentiment. By year’s end, it had stunned the world with an AI breakthrough, a trillion-dollar trade surplus and rare earth dominance.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks with Bloomberg Executive Editor John Liu and Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about how China navigated Trump’s tariff war, revived investor confidence and what risks could derail its momentum in 2026.

Read more: Repeat After Me: Never, Ever Underestimate China
Xi’s Triumphant Year Staring Down Trump Belies Woes in China

China started 2025 with deflation, a property crisis and fears of a &ldquo;lost decade&rdquo; damping sentiment. By year&rsquo;s end, it had stunned the world with an AI breakthrough, a trillion-dollar trade surplus and rare earth dominance.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks with Bloomberg Executive Editor John Liu and Bloomberg Opinion&rsquo;s Shuli Ren about how China navigated Trump&rsquo;s tariff war, revived investor confidence and what risks could derail its momentum in 2026.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-12-23/repeat-after-me-never-ever-underestimate-china">Repeat After Me: Never, Ever Underestimate China </a><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-28/xi-s-triumphant-year-staring-down-trump-belies-troubles-in-china?srnd=homepage-americas">Xi&rsquo;s Triumphant Year Staring Down Trump Belies Woes in China</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

Big Take Asia

How China Defied the Odds in 2025

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/21c1c58a-fe0d-443c-b7d8-b3c3013a9faa/transcript

Chinese tech companies Huawei and DeepSeek are teaming up to offer cloud computing and AI services. And they’re pitching African startups on using their offerings over Western competitors like OpenAI in a bid to get an early foothold in the African tech scene.

In a special episode from Bloomberg’s Big Take and Next Africa podcasts, reporters Loni Prinsloo and Helen Nyambura join hosts Sarah Holder and Jennifer Zabasajja to describe the pitch, how it’s landing and what it could mean for the global AI race.

Read more: China's DeepSeek Is Beating Out OpenAI and Google in Africa

Chinese tech companies Huawei and DeepSeek are teaming up to offer cloud computing and AI services. And they&rsquo;re pitching African startups on using their offerings over Western competitors like OpenAI in a bid to get an early foothold in the African tech scene.
In a special episode from Bloomberg&rsquo;s Big Take and Next Africa podcasts, reporters Loni Prinsloo and Helen Nyambura join hosts Sarah Holder and Jennifer Zabasajja to describe the pitch, how it&rsquo;s landing and what it could mean for the global AI race.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-10-22/china-s-deepseek-pushes-into-africa-making-ai-accessible-to-millions?srnd=undefined">China's DeepSeek Is Beating Out OpenAI and Google in Africa</a>

Why African Startups Are Embracing DeepSeek

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3607a402-697a-41f6-b7d6-b3c20101c84e/transcript

Since the start of his second term, US President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs – especially on China, where most toys are made. 

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host Oanh Ha talks with Rick Woldenberg, CEO of fourth‑generation toymaker Learning Resources, about his company’s battle against tariffs in stores and in court – and what it reveals about the true cost of America’s trade war.

Read more: Cutting Ties With China Is Harder Than Companies Expected

Tariffs Unravel India’s Dream of Challenging China in Toymaking

Further listening: An American Toymaker Struggles to Break Up With China

India Wanted to Become The World’s Toymaker. Then Tariffs Happened

Since the start of his second term, US President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs &ndash; especially on China, where most toys are made.&nbsp;
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia Podcast, host Oanh Ha talks with Rick Woldenberg, CEO of fourth‑generation toymaker Learning Resources, about his company&rsquo;s battle against tariffs in stores and in court &ndash; and what it reveals about the true cost of America&rsquo;s trade war.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-11-18/learning-resources-move-to-vietnam-shows-china-s-dominance?srnd=undefined">Cutting Ties With China Is Harder Than Companies Expected</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-12-23/modi-s-drive-to-make-hasbro-mattel-toys-in-india-upended-by-tariffs?srnd=undefined">Tariffs Unravel India&rsquo;s Dream of Challenging China in Toymaking</a> 
Further listening:&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-american-toymaker-struggles-to-break-up-with-china/id1746141911?i=1000733927616">An American Toymaker Struggles to Break Up With China</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/india-wanted-to-become-the-worlds-toymaker-then/id1746141911?i=1000740482985">India Wanted to Become The World&rsquo;s Toymaker. Then Tariffs Happened</a>

Doing the Math on Toy Tariffs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/28bc1509-39df-46bc-8c72-b3bf013baac4/transcript

The US-China trade war has upended global manufacturing, forcing companies like Chicago-based Learning Resources to fundamentally change how and where its products are made, even as it challenges the tariffs in court.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, K. Oanh Ha heads to India, where the toymaker has begun shifting production of its popular children’s toys. We examine how the company is managing the complex shift from China – where its toys have been made for decades, what the factory boom means for communities on the ground in India and how all of this will impact toy prices.

Further listening: The American Toymaker Suing Trump Over Destructive Tariffs

The US-China trade war has upended global manufacturing, forcing companies like Chicago-based Learning Resources to fundamentally change how and where its products are made, even as it challenges the tariffs in court.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, K. Oanh Ha heads to India, where the toymaker has begun shifting production of its popular children&rsquo;s toys. We examine how the company is managing the complex shift from China &ndash; where its toys have been made for decades, what the factory boom means for communities on the ground in India and how all of this will impact toy prices.
Further listening:&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-american-toymaker-suing-trump-over-destructive/id1746141911?i=1000715338062">The American Toymaker Suing Trump Over Destructive Tariffs</a>

How to Make It in India (Instead of China)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/030ef1ae-5c36-4272-b717-b3bd014c3ccb/transcript

How China Defied the Odds in 2025

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