Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian packs up his notes after speaking at the daily media briefing in Beijing on April 8, 2020.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian packs up his notes after speaking at the daily media briefing in Beijing on April 8, 2020.

Why Did China Banish Its Chief ‘Wolf Warrior’?

Zhao Lijian’s move from foreign ministry spokesperson to a backroom role reflects a diplomatic shift.

A passenger wearing a face shield and mask boards a domestic flight at Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai on Jan. 3.
A passenger wearing a face shield and mask boards a domestic flight at Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai on Jan. 3.

China’s COVID-19 Wave Reaches the Countryside

Opaque data and limited health care infrastructure raise fears of devastating outcomes in rural areas.

COVID-19 patients lie on hospital beds in the lobby of a hospital in Chongqing, China, on Dec. 23.
COVID-19 patients lie on hospital beds in the lobby of a hospital in Chongqing, China, on Dec. 23.

5 Predictions for China in 2023

From a COVID-19 tragedy to a weakened Xi Jinping, here’s what could happen next year.

A worker wearing personal protective equipment sits outside a fever clinic in Beijing on Dec. 19.
A worker wearing personal protective equipment sits outside a fever clinic in Beijing on Dec. 19.

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.

People line up outside a fever clinic at a hospital in Beijing on Dec. 11.
People line up outside a fever clinic at a hospital in Beijing on Dec. 11.

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.

A man holds his release papers after leaving a government quarantine facility in Beijing on Dec. 7.
A man holds his release papers after leaving a government quarantine facility in Beijing on Dec. 7.

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.

A screen shows a news broadcast featuring former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin in Beijing on Nov. 30.
A screen shows a news broadcast featuring former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin in Beijing on Nov. 30.

What Jiang Zemin’s Death Means for the CCP

The former leader’s mourning period creates an opportunity for public gathering—and political plotting.

An epidemic control worker stands in a nearly empty street in Beijing’s Central Business District on Nov. 23.
An epidemic control worker stands in a nearly empty street in Beijing’s Central Business District on Nov. 23.

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.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping

Did the Xi-Biden Summit Cool Tensions?

Taiwan remains the biggest challenge to the U.S.-China relationship.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing on Nov. 4.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing on Nov. 4.

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.

People visit the Bund promenade with the financial district of Lujiazui in the background in Shanghai on Oct. 24.
People visit the Bund promenade with the financial district of Lujiazui in the background in Shanghai on Oct. 24.

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.

China-ccp-standing-committee-HP
China-ccp-standing-committee-HP

Who’s Who on the New CCP Standing Committee

The most important leaders in China know how to follow orders.

People watch the opening session of the 20th Chinese National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in Huaibei, China, on Oct. 16.
People watch the opening session of the 20th Chinese National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in Huaibei, China, on Oct. 16.

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.

Party members walk by an image showing Chinese President Xi Jinping at an exhibition highlighting his years as leader as part of the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party on Oct. 12 in Beijing.
Party members walk by an image showing Chinese President Xi Jinping at an exhibition highlighting his years as leader as part of the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party on Oct. 12 in Beijing.

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.

China-brief-book-roundup
China-brief-book-roundup

8 Books to Read Ahead of China’s 20th Party Congress

These picks each offer piercing insight into how Chinese politics really works.

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