Big Take Asia

Beyond software and chips, the AI boom relies on good old-fashioned manufacturing of essential components – a skill that has made a new class of people very, very rich.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host Oanh Ha talks with Bloomberg reporter Cindy Wang and Opinion columnist Catherine Thorbecke about how nimble producers—think toilet manufacturers and furniture makers—pivoted to this booming industry, and the risks of concentrating too much AI manufacturing in one part of the world.
Read more: ‘Like It’s Raining Gold’: The AI Boom’s Unexpected Billionaires
Bloomberg Billionaires Index: 500 of the World’s Richest People
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Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Guests: Cindy Wang, Catherine Thorbecke; Produced by Naomi Ng and Yang Yang; Edited by Crispina Robert and Paddy Hirsch Engineering by Greg Tock.
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China is ramping up an ongoing effort to shore up local government budgets and fund AI data centers with tax revenue from its richest citizens. Billionaires across the country are seeing bills hit their doorstep, and one major deadline to pay up is just weeks away.
On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura talks to Bloomberg’s Lulu Chen about why Beijing is enforcing and rewriting its tax rules, and the measures some wealthy citizens are taking to pay up or fight back.

View profiles for each of the world’s 500 richest people, see the biggest movers, and compare fortunes or track returns on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Read more: China’s Tax Grab Squeezes Rich Elite Harder Than Ever

Further listening: China Tightens Its Grip on Billions in Offshore Wealth
Hosted by David Gura; Guest: Lulu Chen; Produced by Naomi Ng; Edited by Aaron Edwards, Engineering by Greg Tock
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As Chinese President Xi Jinping makes his first visit to Washington in over a decade, trade and the AI race will likely dominate talks with Donald Trump.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s John Liu unpack what each leader hopes to gain and why they may have no choice but to cooperate on AI safety.
Read more: The Tough AI Questions Looming Over the Trump-Xi Summit
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Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang and Naomi Ng; Edited by Crispina Robert and Paddy Hirsch Engineering by Alex Sugiura
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It’s been a big week for central banks around the world. Yet among the flurry of rate decisions, the Bank of Japan’s move stands out. After decades of near-zero interest rates, policymakers are betting Japan’s economy is finally returning to something closer to normal.
On today’s Big Take Podcast, K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Paul Jackson explore why the Bank of Japan is hiking rates at its fastest pace in decades, what the shift means for the yen carry trade and how Japan’s policy moves could ripple across global markets.
Read more: BOJ Hikes at Fastest Pace Since 1990 After Bessent’s Calls
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha and David Gura; Guest: Paul Jackson; Produced by Naomi Ng, Julia Press and David Fox; Edited by Crispina Robert and Paddy Hirsch. Engineering by Sean Carter.
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American pharma giants are increasingly turning to Chinese labs to discover, test and develop cutting-edge drugs.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, Bloomberg’s Amber Tong and Robert Langreth join Oanh Ha to break down why global drugmakers are sourcing their next big breakthroughs from China — and what that means for US biotech dominance.
Read more: Big Pharma Is Hooked on Chinese Licensing Deals
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng and David Fox; Guests: Amber Tong and Robert Langreth; Edited by Paddy Hirsch and Crispina Robert.
Fact-checking by Brunella Tipismana Urbano; Engineering by Alex Suguira.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.
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