Big Take Asia

Latest Episodes:

Tariffed: The Toymaker That Took on Trump Part Two Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

The US tariff war with China sent American companies scrambling to find alternative manufacturing hubs. India looked promising until the White House upended everything.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, K. Oanh Ha heads to India, where she goes inside two toy factories scrambling to adapt to Washington’s shifting trade policies. How sky-high tariffs are undercutting India’s ambitions to take China’s crown as the world’s factory floor and forcing American manufacturers to make a tough choice.

Further listening: An American Toymaker Struggles to Break Up With China
The American Toymaker Suing Trump Over Destructive Tariffs

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Hong Kong's Catastrophic Fire Provokes Questions and Fury Dec 02, 2025

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Hong Kong’s worst fire disaster in decades has stirred up public anger over negligence, safety standards and official accountability.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Shawna Kwan and Jenni Marsh about the devastation, the political fallout and how the public outcry is causing unease in Beijing.

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All Eyes on Japan and China Tensions After Taiwan Remark Nov 25, 2025

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After a rare public comment on Taiwan from Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, relations between the two nations are at a historic low — and Beijing is ramping up its economic retaliation.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host Oanh Ha talks with Bloomberg’s James Mayger and Isabel Reynolds about the political calculation behind Takaichi’s move, the historical grievances fueling the dispute and the real economic risks facing Tokyo.

Further listening: How APEC Become a Battleground for US-China Influence

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Nvidia Silences AI Skeptics (For Now) Nov 20, 2025

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Nvidia released its third quarter earnings Wednesday, crushing estimates and easing Wall Street’s concerns about an AI bubble.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Tech’s Ed Ludlow sits down with David Gura to discuss his post-earnings interview with Jensen Huang – what the Nvidia CEO had to say about the company’s breakneck growth, so-called circular deals, and potential expansion into China.

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China Tests the Limits in the Race for Biotech Power Nov 18, 2025

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China is investing heavily in cutting-edge genetic experiments. It’s part of their quest to become a biotech superpower.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha, Bloomberg’s Karoline Kan and Oxford University geneticist Andy Greenfield discuss China’s pharmaceutical ambitions and the loose regulatory environment that allows the animal testing industry to thrive.

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Wall Street Speeds Up India Expansion Nov 11, 2025

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Wall Street banks are on a hiring spree across India, recruiting workers for everything from software engineering to risk management as part of a decades-long shift away from support roles toward high-skill positions.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg’s Siddhi Nayak to look at India’s changing job landscape. What to expect as Wall Street continues to expand into its tech hubs – and how Donald Trump’s H1-B visa crackdown could accelerate that push.

Further listening: Trump’s H-1B Visa Fee Dashes Indian Workers’ American Dreams

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How APEC Become a Battleground for US-China Influence Nov 04, 2025

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Asian nations are walking a tightrope between Washington and Beijing – juggling trade, tech and security pressures as the heavyweights vie for influence.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Adam Farrar, Bloomberg’s senior geoeconomics analyst for Asia Pacific, to unpack what may have been overlooked at the APEC summit as the Xi-Trump show came to town.

Further listening: Trump Got an ‘Amazing’ Meeting. China Got Much-Needed Time

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Trump Got an ‘Amazing’ Meeting. China Got Much-Needed Time Oct 30, 2025

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On Thursday, President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping of China announced a one-year truce in their trade war, capping six contentious months of negotiations and retaliatory tariffs between the world’s two largest economies.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Global Trade Editor Brendan Murray and Executive China Editor John Liu join host David Gura to parse the details of the new US-China trade agreement — and why both countries are moving forward without a permanent deal.

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Tariffed: The Toymaker That Took on Trump Part One Oct 28, 2025

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The US-China tariff war has upended global manufacturing, forcing companies like Chicago-based Learning Resources to fundamentally change how and where its products are made.

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

Further listening: The American Toymaker Suing Trump Over Destructive Tariffs
Xi’s Top Bargaining Chip Is a Trade War Game Changer

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Xi’s Top Bargaining Chip Is a Trade War Game Changer Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

China’s dominance of rare earths has given Xi Jinping powerful leverage over Donald Trump ahead of their expected meeting next week.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Daniel Ten Kate dig into how China is weaponizing rare earths and what the economic standoff means for a trade deal and the future of US-China relations.

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