Day: May 2, 2025

Did you know that hundreds of millions of Chinese are sitting on a ticking time bomb? China’s largest cities—Beijing, Shanghai, and others—are sinking. And the speed is alarming. People aren’t just seeing it with their own eyes; they’re living this nightmare. Decades of excessive groundwater use are to blame. Even worse, while the cities sink, sea levels are rising. If this continues, China’s major cities could one day end up underwater.

Consumption Collapse in Shanghai and Beijing: What’s Really Happening?This narration examines the declining consumption trends in Shanghai and Beijing, China’s wealthiest cities, based on their first-quarter 2025 economic data. Despite the National Bureau of Statistics reporting a 4.6% national retail sales growth, local data reveals a 3.3% and 1.1% decline in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively, with March showing sharper drops. The analysis highlights discrepancies in national data, inflated by lowered baselines and original price calculations despite trade-in discounts. A shift in consumption patterns, driven by pre-Lunar New Year promotions and reduced job opportunities, has weakened March spending. While gold consumption surges in Beijing, other categories like automobiles and catering decline. Subsidies for electronics and appliances show limited impact, reflecting deflationary consumer behavior. The divergence between national and local data raises questions about the reliability of reported national consumption growth, amid economic challenges like unemployment and trade tensions.0:00 Intro0:07 Unmasking the Consumption Crisis in China’s Megacities1:16 Local Data Tells a Different Story2:05 A Tale of Two Cities’ Spending Slump3:12 The Lunar New Year Shift4:04 Why the Spending Shift Happened5:12 A National Data Disconnect6:21 Dissecting Beijing’s Consumption Trends7:45 Subsidies Fail to Spark Spending8:59 Shanghai’s Unique Spending Habits9:30 The Illusion of a National Consumption Boom11:27 Subsidies as a Short-Term Fix12:04 Even Local Data Hides the Truth

O’Leary Ventures Chairman Kevin O’Leary discusses negotiations with China as the country reportedly considers trade talks with the U.S., the fate of TikTok and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 2028 plans.