China Brief

A weekly digest of the stories you should be following in China, plus exclusive analysis. Delivered Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the State Department in Washington on Feb. 3.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the State Department in Washington on Feb. 3.

Why Beijing Won’t Engage With Washington

Mismatched perceptions are leading China to rebuff the Biden administration’s outreach.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov pose for a group photo in front of a row of flags.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov pose for a group photo in front of a row of flags.

Is China Replacing Russia in Central Asia?

Beijing may be an appealing partner, but that doesn’t mean the region is breaking with Moscow.

A person dressed in black stands with their back to the camera and poses with a blue, white, and pink transgender pride flag outside the court house in Hangzhou, China, on Dec. 3, 2019.
A person dressed in black stands with their back to the camera and poses with a blue, white, and pink transgender pride flag outside the court house in Hangzhou, China, on Dec. 3, 2019.

LGBTQ Spaces Are Shrinking in China

The closure of a Beijing advocacy group reflects a gradual trend under Xi.

Nicholas Burns testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be ambassador to China in Washington on Oct. 20, 2021.
Nicholas Burns testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be ambassador to China in Washington on Oct. 20, 2021.

What Happened at the Latest U.S.-China Meeting

One of the first high-level dialogues between the countries since the spy balloon incident shouldn’t be seen as a breakthrough.

An investor monitors stock price movements at a securities company in Shanghai on Sept. 24, 2021.
An investor monitors stock price movements at a securities company in Shanghai on Sept. 24, 2021.

China’s Latest Data Restrictions Could Scare Off Investors

Broadening of anti-espionage law alarms foreign businesses.

Lu Shaye, China's ambassador in France
Lu Shaye, China's ambassador in France

When a Wolf Warrior Howls

The Chinese ambassador to France went off message, and Beijing can’t apologize.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a meeting with Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 19.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a meeting with Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 19.

Why Xi Is Rebranding Chinese Cultural History

Beijing’s Global Civilization Initiative reveals its flawed approach to soft power.

People watch as a Taiwanese fighter jet lands after routine patrols and training exercises at an air force base in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 6.
People watch as a Taiwanese fighter jet lands after routine patrols and training exercises at an air force base in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 6.

China Softens Threat on Taiwan No-Fly Zone

Beijing’s sudden pullback shows that at least some of its leaders remain sensitive to pressure from Tokyo and Seoul.

A vendor stands next to newspapers featuring a front page photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a newsstand in Beijing on March 21.
A vendor stands next to newspapers featuring a front page photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a newsstand in Beijing on March 21.

Why Did China Recall Millions of Newspapers?

The decision after a slipup involving Chinese President Xi Jinping’s name comes at a sensitive time for the leader.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew prepares to testify before the U.S. Congress.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew prepares to testify before the U.S. Congress.

Is TikTok Its Own Worst Enemy?

As the United States moves closer to a ban on the app, its executives and the Chinese government aren’t doing it any favors.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees off Chinese President Xi Jinping after a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sees off Chinese President Xi Jinping after a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.

What to Make of Xi’s Trip to Moscow

The Chinese leader may have offered more pushback against Washington than substantive support for Russia.

China’s former premier, Li Keqiang, left, shakes hands with newly elected Premier Li Qiang, right, during the fourth plenary session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 11.
China’s former premier, Li Keqiang, left, shakes hands with newly elected Premier Li Qiang, right, during the fourth plenary session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 11.

China Gets a New Premier

Li Qiang is now the second-most powerful person in China. What will he do with it?

Chinese President Xi Jinping drinks a cup of tea during the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 7.
Chinese President Xi Jinping drinks a cup of tea during the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 7.

Why China Has Sharpened Its Anti-American Rhetoric

Washington has become a convenient scapegoat for Beijing. That says more about Chinese President Xi Jinping than it does about their relationship.

A woman walks past a billboard showing Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Feb. 28.
A woman walks past a billboard showing Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Feb. 28.

How the Chinese Communist Party Plans to Reinforce Its Power

A recent leadership meeting hinted at what Xi Jinping’s “intensified” overhaul might look like.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese State Counselor Wang Yi in Moscow on Feb. 22.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese State Counselor Wang Yi in Moscow on Feb. 22.

Is China Stepping Up Its Support for Russia?

Beijing has reinforced its anti-U.S. messaging this week, but lethal aid for Moscow still seems to be a red line.

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Inside the U.S.-China Tech War

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Over the last few years, the United States has moved to limit China’s technological rise. U.S.-led sanctions have imposed unprecedented limits on Beijing’s access to advanced computing c...Show more

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on September 24, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden is hosting a Quad Leaders Summit later today with Prime Minister Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide. (Photo by Sarahbeth Maney-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on September 24, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden is hosting a Quad Leaders Summit later today with Prime Minister Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide. (Photo by Sarahbeth Maney-Pool/Getty Images)

Is America Making a Bad Bet on India?

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For decades, the U.S. foreign-policy establishment has made the assumption that India could serve as a partner as the United States jostles with China for power in the Indo-Pacific region. B...Show more

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Last weekend, spy chiefs and defense officials from around the world descended on Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s biggest annual security conference. The U.S. delegatio...Show more

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