The Sinocism China Newsletter is a free email newsletter written by Bill Bishop that helps readers better understand China. In January 2015 Foreign Policy named me to the The Pacific Power Index: 50 people shaping the future of the U.S.-China relationship.

The newsletter provides commentary and curated links to the important English and Chinese news of the day. You can read the latest issues here or here.

Enter your email address in the box below and join nearly 27,000 investors, policymakers, executives, analysts, diplomats, journalists, scholars and others who are gaining valuable insights into China.

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  • Amanda Dye

    What does Sinocism mean?

    • Nothing in particular, just wanted a name with China connotations but not China in it

      • mesocyclone

        “China cynicism??”

    • Onymous

      A teacher I knew in grad school in the 1980s, who had been involved with China for 40 years, sometimes spoke a phrase that could be understood ambiguously as “the sinical/cynical Chinese”. Took me three times hearing him use the phrase before I realized he was punning.

  • Michael Sanderson

    Sinocism is really impressive, especially at that rate for the time it’s been going. This is preliminary to my regret, as I had to unsubscribe because I don’t work in/about China anymore and am drowning in email, but will continue to follow on Twitter. Just wanted to say I thought it was great. Best.

    • Onymous

      It’s based in large part on Bishop’s strong undergrad preparation in Chinese language at Middlebury College, which has been a national leader in language education since the early 20th century and in Asian language education since the 1960s.

  • sfinder

    On the Xia Yeliang matter, the more significant issue is the institutional one, that academics in China work in a system where the Party leads everything, including the universities. Many academics in the humanities will write and speak in a way to keep within the bounds set by Party policy. The foreign universities are fully aware of that.

  • Simon Young

    European perspective of China;
    Very timely analysis;
    Chinese in the UK may have a comparative reading of the stories;
    Really helps business with Chinese organisations in Europe- we know what Europeans think of China

  • Takayuki Nishi

    In Xinhua’s slideshow of the DF15C missile linked on October 23, did you notice that the caption for slide #2 names “Japanese-occupied Okinawa” as one of the places within the missile’s range’?

  • Andy Slater

    Good luck on your pledge drive this weekend! I apologize beforehand for being a bit of a fanboy, but I am gutted , but that you are cutting down to once a week, but totally understand why you are doing it. I read your newsletters religiously to the point that it is usually the highlight of my daily inbox. As someone based in the US, your newsletter provides a level of access and insight that I can’t obtain on my own. Thanks for all your hard work and I wish you the best (and better fiscal success) in your future endeavors.

  • sushux

    Happily changed my annual donation to a monthly one, though I *am* drowning a bit with the daily posts. Have you considered something half-way, such as twice-a-week?

  • Catoneo

    The best tool to understand China Mainland I have ever handled.
    Thanks a lot Mr Bishop. Great.

    Catoneo, Paris

  • lg89

    Just wanted to say that I wish I could contribute something at this moment but want to give my thanks anyways. This has been by far the best and most efficient way I’ve found to do my China watching, and I’ve been figuring out different ways for years. Really kinda glad you’re switching to a weekly though. I’ll miss the daily updates, but sometimes I could literally be drowning in the newsletter for hours trying to go through all the articles on important events. It was intense.

  • Gregory Gilligan

    Bill,

    We are all Jonesing for the next issue…is that the point? The people need Sinocism!

    Greg

  • James Smith

    Hi Bill, how can readers contribute financially to your free newsletter?

    • thanks for asking but am no longer accepting any money for this

  • David Sandgrund

    Bill, Jut read a very interesting book about bloggers in China, Cuba & Russia that is well worth the read: Now I Know Who My Comrades Are, Voices from the internet underground by Emily Parker

  • bakershe

    Dear Mr. Bishop,
    As a college student studying in Beijing, and a fan of the newsletter, are you accepting intern applications?

  • Maria

    Where is the link to contribute? Don’t seem to see it anymore

    • i am not accepting any money at this point. regards

  • stevelaudig

    In today’s email:
    “America is neither a suitable role model nor a qualified judge on human rights issues in other countries, as it pertains to be.

    “pertains” probably should be “purports”

  • Dom

    The CEO and two employees of the company that started the anti-dumping probe against the german and japanese dialysis kit makers had been arrested in Germany in mid-September. They had been caught by on-site security breaking into the factory of B. Braun, one of the companies accused of dumping.
    After they have been handed over to police they had a non-public court hearing, where bail was set at €10,000 (why so low?). They travelled back to China in early/mid October.

    Creative googling will get you some articles in English about it

  • [email protected]

    lkjhl;khkl;jhlkj

  • Gregory Kulacki

    Taking ideology seriously is an excellent recommendation. A good place to start may be to remember that dialectical materialism has much deeper roots than Mao, and is a foreign idea. So the renewed emphasis on ideology need not be seen as either xenophobic, nationalist or Maoist. And there is a rich traditional of debate and dispute among Marxist intellectuals about dialectical materialism, so stressing ideology does not necessarily imply obsequious obedience. It is possible that Xi Jinping is interested in developing a way of understanding the world that is not based on the same ideological assumptions that govern the thinking of what might be described, in Chinese Marxist terms, as a U.S.-led capitalist world order. The Obama administration is fond of talking about “rules” and in emphasizing ideology Xi and the CCP he leads may be attempting to mobilize the intellectual and academic resources at their disposal to critique those rules, which, on many levels—environmental, human security, social justice—are seen to be failing a good percentage of the global population. They are not just inappropriate for China, in such a view. Then again, Xi’s grasp for control of the ideological debate may indeed be a petty, cynical or fearful reaction to perceived threats from an intellectual elite that has already rejected Marxism, and its worldview, in favor of the ideology, and the rules, of the U.S.-led world order. Thanks for posting!

  • Happy CNY to you, Bill. This is an excellent source for me in DC where I’m doing my PhD in international relations at SAIS and when I was in HK in the financial services sector.

    • glad to hear it. Enjoy SAIS, a great place. Happy CNY!

      • FYI I’m in Dr Lampton’s awesome US-China Foreign Policy class this semester and mentioned your newsletter and he had words of praise.

        • thanks, nice to hear. i graduated from SAIS before he got there, Miller was my advisor

  • So two good friends of mine – and yours I believe – were talking of you highly in a Beijing bar last night… looking forward to meeting you at some point in the not too distant. Will keep an eye on your blog from now on 🙂

  • Matthew Owen

    Bill, is it curious that Jiang Jiemin was removed from CNPC to head up the SASAC in March 2013 just after the leadership change? I wonder if they moved him from a high profile spot whilst Xi was settling in and aggrandising power before finally poaching the tiger. http://bit.ly/1zspupe Thoughts?

    • The most interesting thing related to the jiang move was that he was not double-hatted as party secretary of sasac, something I noted in a newsletter at the time was likely a sign he was going to be in trouble in the not too distant future and the move was a way of getting him out of the petro system where he had his support.

      • Matthew Owen

        Absolutely. I try to follow China’s oil industry closely and when I first saw this story I thought it looked like a bit of a curious demotion, however I expected that Xi would just replace Jiang with one of his allies and he would just fade away. Didn’t expect a full-on corruption probe. But then again I think the scale and ambitiousness of the corruption probes have surprised a lot of people…

        on a separate note, thanks for this newsletter. they are an invaluable resource

  • Jack Heseltine

    Good to have you back on top form

  • Jones Nimby

    Bill, how can you be contacted with tips or information? Particularly if there is a file to attach?

  • Lord High Wulfenstraat

    Hey, Bill, I haven’t had a newsletter in at least a week. What’s up?

    • Been busy with other things, probably will be o e later this week, tbd

      • Lord High Wulfenstraat

        Thanks, Bill, I got it on the 10th. I rely on your newsletter a lot. I always look forward to reviewing what you have to say and what it is you’ve read that might interest us who follow Chinese adventurism.

  • joeblow55

    My suggestion is for the PLA to release Bo Xilai, let him take his rightful place as China’s leader (which was snatched away by Xi and his thugs), then try Xi for the billions he has moved overseas for his family’s benefit, his betrayal of the Party with his attempts to establish a cult of personality like Mao.

  • Nick Watts

    Love the newsletter Bill its invaluable. Wonder if you had any hot tips or useful sources for getting breaking news out of China?

  • sugarntasty

    Admire independent not, sensationalized journal my concern with “Sino” powers where. Brand management agreements protect “trade”
    policies regarding “Nordic region” China attempting pressure without.
    Success any less, forestry and pulp industry: attempt lower price selling forestry equipment. Acquiring lands diplomacy control world commodities not acquisition political indirect imperialism. Sioncism
    assured of “global” players of trade Sweden remain independent of
    governmental pressure. China looking to dominated,Southeast Asian
    by loans and joint ventures only problem is South China sea disputes!

  • Peter N

    Excellent newsletter and very important. Theres too few people out there realizing – or having the insight in – whats going on right now, and its important that the ones who have insight, do share this.

    A big thanks.
    Peter N