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.
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China’s Surveillance Balloon Is Not a Test of Will
The response to the vessel in U.S. airspace shows how the next Cold War could be as overreactive as the first.
In Beijing, Blinken Seeks to Stabilize Ties
Avoiding actual war will be on each side’s mind.
China Celebrates New Year Under the Shadow of COVID-19
Official government data shows cases falling, but the busy travel season could mean another wave.
China Can No Longer Deny Its Shrinking Population
An official acknowledgement of population decline may herald new measures to encourage families.
Why Did China Banish Its Chief ‘Wolf Warrior’?
Zhao Lijian’s move from foreign ministry spokesperson to a backroom role reflects a diplomatic shift.
China’s COVID-19 Wave Reaches the Countryside
Opaque data and limited health care infrastructure raise fears of devastating outcomes in rural areas.
5 Predictions for China in 2023
From a COVID-19 tragedy to a weakened Xi Jinping, here’s what could happen next year.
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.