China Brief
China Brief is your expert guide to how Beijing is conducting its domestic and foreign policy. FP’s James Palmer, a longtime China correspondent, will keep you up to date with all the news and analysis you need to keep track of the world’s second-biggest economy. Delivered Tuesday.
Sign up for the newsletter to receive exclusive savings on a subscription to everything FP offers.
China Sees Dark End to 2022
A major COVID-19 wave has followed Beijing’s abrupt policy change, closing a year of bad news for the Chinese public.
China’s Great COVID-19 Wave Has Begun
With zero-COVID effectively over, official numbers can’t keep up with the speed of the omicron variant.
China Lets Up on Zero-COVID Policy
New measures signal a shift away from containing the disease—and into the next phase of the pandemic.
What Jiang Zemin’s Death Means for the CCP
The former leader’s mourning period creates an opportunity for public gathering—and political plotting.
New Outbreaks Test China’s Appetite for Reopening
Rising cases have reversed recent changes to the zero-COVID policy, putting cities back under semi-lockdown.
Did the Xi-Biden Summit Cool Tensions?
Taiwan remains the biggest challenge to the U.S.-China relationship.
Secure at Home, Xi Steps Back Onto the Global Stage
The Chinese leader met Olaf Scholz last week before appearances in Indonesia and Thailand later this month.
China’s Markets React to Xi’s Third Term
Chinese stocks tumbled after the Party Congress, but with no clear reopening plan, Beijing has bigger economic problems.
Who’s Who on the New CCP Standing Committee
The most important leaders in China know how to follow orders.
What Did Xi Say at China’s 20th Party Congress?
The Chinese leader received rapturous applause during his opening speech, but he didn’t offer a clear plan for confronting ongoing crises.
What to Expect at China’s 20th Party Congress
The first thing to understand about the event is that the internal power struggles have already happened.
8 Books to Read Ahead of China’s 20th Party Congress
These picks each offer piercing insight into how Chinese politics really works.
What a False Coup Rumor Reveals About Chinese Politics
A baseless story briefly went viral, showing how much of the world misunderstands Beijing’s inner workings.
Bus Crash Amplifies Zero-COVID Frustration
Discontent with the restrictive policy seems to serve as a proxy for discontent with Xi Jinping’s government itself.
Homebody Xi Finally Steps Outside China
The Chinese leader’s first overseas trip since January 2020 takes him to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where he’ll meet his Russian counterpart.