How China is Riding the Open Source Wave with Kevin Xu
Podcast: High CapacityPublished On: Tue Mar 10 2026
Description: From DeepSeek to Kimi, China's open-source AI models have gotten all the attention. But open source has a much longer history in China, according to Kevin Xu, former head of global expansion strategy at GitHub. Kevin takes us on a journey through China's open source evolution, from its grassroots beginnings to its central role today in China's AI strategy. We also get into the current OpenClaw craze in China and why Chinese tech firms seem to be jumping in faster than their American peers.00:00 Intro to Kevin Xu04:21 Early days of Chinese open source16:11 1024 Programmers' Day and 996.ICU27:33 Huawei enters the game41:57 DeepSeek moment51:17 China's OpenClaw frenzy56:40 Will China keep doing open-source?Links:Chinese Open Source: A Definitive HistoryKevin Xu's Interconnected newsletterInterconnected CapitalKevin Xu on Twitter / XFor transcripts and more, check out the High Capacity newsletter
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