Welcome to Axis Proerata, where we take just 10 minutes to get you smarter on the collision of tech, business, and politics.

Sponsored by Bridge Bank. Be bold. Venture wisely. I'm Jampra Mack. On today's show, the big takeaway from yesterday's Apple event and the best job in journalism.

But first, China gets rusty.

So when we Americans think of the new China, we likely think of high-rise strewn cities that somehow shine through the smog, like Beijing and Shanghai.

But the country also has a glut of shrinking, forgotten cities that are becoming a bit reminiscent of America's Rust Belt.

Specifically, a recent report identifies 180 Chinese cities that are losing people, and a lot of

those are in the northeast, near the borders with Russia and North Korea, a region with reported

GDP of 6% last year versus 11% in 1990. These cities are where in the early days of China's

Communist Party, there were huge state-owned factories open, focused on things like steel and coal,

but like those same sorts of city stateside, they've been left behind by modernity,

with young people moving to cities for more technology and service-oriented employment.

It's not something China likes to talk about too much, for obvious reasons, but it is a major

concern for government leaders who've proven unable to sufficiently balance a move away

from manufacturing with the employment needs of millions of its workers. The bottom line,

China is dealing with a huge economic challenge right now from the

U.S., but its bigger problems may be closer to home. In 15 seconds, we'll go deeper with Axios reporter

Erica Pandy. But first, this. Bridgebank believes in the risk takers, the game changers and the

disruptors, those committed to leveraging innovation to make the world a better place. That's why Bridgebank has been dedicated to providing financial solutions to sponsor-backed

emerging technology and growth companies for nearly two decades through its national network

of banking teams and offices.

Bridgebank is a division of Western Alliance Bank.

Bridge Bank, be bold, venture wisely.

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