Hello new followers who came from @BrianTycangco's post! Here are the things you can expect me to tweet about on this account:

It's really sad that there's a target market this kind of marketing works on.

I've been ridiculously unproductive lately. Working less than probably at any other point in the last five years. However, I haven't been just goofing off. I've been spending all the 'unproductive' time researching China and learning Chinese. This leads me to think that on some level I'm actually really committed to this idea of on-the-ground China business reporting, and should go all-in on it.

Bangkok flood appears to be getting serious! At least two people I know have flooding in their buildings or houses now.

$META's Muse mascot seems to have taken liberal inspiration from LABUBU

Diversity is quite literally a strength.

.@grok WHERE WE AT?

Trump is just beaming about hosting Xi Jinping. Despite all the stuff I said about him in the past, I must say, Trump's enthusiasm here is infectious. You just WANT him and Xi to work out some world-historic deal.

One year after I first promised it to you, it is now official: I'M GOING TO CHINA! On October 14, I will be arriving in Shenzhen, and staying for seven days. In that time I will document every tech thing I see and report it on X and maybe on Substack. Speaking of Substack: the newsletter does not exist yet, I will launch it either during or immediately after my trip. The tentative name is "Silk Road 2.0." The idea behind it is to surface investment ideas in Asia, based not on internet data platforms but my own personal travels and observations in China, SEA, and hopefully other Asian countries as I get around to them. The substack will be completely free for the first six months to a year, including even the longest posts on individual stocks. Who knows what will come from it, but I'm excited for what lies ahead.

In August of 1998 Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong delivered an address to the Nation. It was for that year's National Day Rally, an event roughly equivalent to a U.S. President's State of the Union Address. As you might expect from the description above, National Day Rally addresses usually involve the PM speaking to the nation about its challenges and opportunities. 1998 was different. When Goh spoke, Southeast Asia was in the middle of a financial crisis. Apart from Singapore, most of the countries in the region were on the verge of economic collapse, taking IMF loans to stay afloat. Singapore itself was not unaffected, but had put financial safeguards in place that sheltered it from the worst of the contagion. This left it in the position to extend loans to worse-hit countries. Indonesia in particular was reeling from the damage. It, a country of 211 million people, had stretched itself too far with leverage. When its currency started collapsing, it needed a lifeline. Tiny Singapore, a neighboring country with a relatively strong economy but just three million people, was a natural partner. However, prior to Goh's address, Indonesia's Prime Minister B.J. Habibe had disparaged Singapore, after Goh had been perceived as too late giving Habibe a congratulatory call on his recent election win. Regarding the supposedly late call, Habibe said: "It's O.K. with me, but there are 211 million people [in Indonesia]. Look at that map. All the green is Indonesia. And that red dot is Singapore. Look at that." The tone of the remarks was insulting, and arguably vaguely threatening. Well, when Goh got up to speak on National Day, he was having none of it. His speech bordered on a diss track, calling out neighboring countries on their financial problems and musing on how much Singapore could help out. He took advantage of the opportunity to fire back at Indonesia's PM, saying: "Singapore will help Indonesia within the limits of our ability. We are a small economy... After all we are only three million people. Just a little red dot on the map. Where is the capacity to help 211 million people?" In the end, Singapore came through with a $5 billion loan facility for Indonesia. Goh did not take the low road, but he could have, and he let Habibe know it. Today, Habibe's "Little Red Dot" insult is a badge of honor among Singaporeans; a nickname for their country they use with pride, it being featured prominently in the official logo for Singapore's 2015 independence day celebrations. This little story contains a lesson: Don't assume somebody can be disrespected because he is smaller than you. There are strengths other than size. Insult someone who seems irrelevant or unassuming or mild mannered, if you wish, but don't be surprised if you're denied a loan later... or at least left sweating over whether you'll receive one, in any case.

HOLY SHIT ORACLE IS STARTING TO LOOK INSOLVENT!!! This is a legacy tech business with core operations that are plenty profitable. What are the odds one of the startups that does nothing but trillion dollar AI data center commitments goes belly up in the next 5+ years?

Singapore is right to do this, and any country that doesn't do so, is basically terrorizing its civilized citizens.

Have you ever noticed that the way people trade AI stocks, is completely retarded? All of these AI companies are developing new products all the time. Whoever has the latest release, usually has the most technically advanced product. Yet people still trade every product release as if it indicates future trajectories.

.@TenPayGo if I select Apple pay as my TenPayGo payment method, how do I choose which card connected to my Apple pay is used?

🚨 TENCENT'S WEIXIN PAY LAUNCHES TENPAYGO, NEW PAYMENT APP FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS THAT SUPPORTS APPLE PAY

Xi Jinping just boarded a plane headed for Washington D.C. to meet Trump. He likely boarded a modified Air China passenger jet. China doesn't maintain a dedicated presidential fleet, instead using specially configured Air China jets that are returned to regular service after state visits. Here you can see the Star Alliance logo on one of Xi's recent planes.

What is @Weixin_WeChat about to give us?!?

Imagine not being a 19th century whaler