Cars wait to be loaded onto ships for export in Lianyungang, China, on Dec. 12.
Cars wait to be loaded onto ships for export in Lianyungang, China, on Dec. 12.

5 Predictions for China in 2025

From a brewing trade war to opportunities on the global stage, here’s what we’re watching in the new year.

Commuters walk by office towers under construction during rush hour in Beijing on Oct. 18.
Commuters walk by office towers under construction during rush hour in Beijing on Oct. 18.

China’s Year in Review

Will 2024 be the calm before the storm for Beijing?

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017.

What Trump’s Personalized Presidency Means for China

There are obstacles to achieving closer ties on both sides, but Beijing could find a way to strike deals.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 22, 2023.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 22, 2023.

China Needs a New Approach in Syria

Beijing reflects on its losing bet on the Assad regime.

Military delegates walk together as they arrive at the closing session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 11.
Military delegates walk together as they arrive at the closing session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 11.

Another Chinese Military Official Under Fire

A longtime political commissar faces an investigation that will likely lead to detention.

Employees work on a production line of stuffed teddy bears for export at a toy factory in Lianyungang, China, on Nov. 22.
Employees work on a production line of stuffed teddy bears for export at a toy factory in Lianyungang, China, on Nov. 22.

What Trump’s Tariffs Will Mean for China

As the U.S. president-elect issues new threats, Beijing is already bracing for a shift.

A woman prays in front of a low wall with flowers sitting on it. Behind the flowers is a low shrub and a taller wall with red raised Chinese characters on it.
A woman prays in front of a low wall with flowers sitting on it. Behind the flowers is a low shrub and a taller wall with red raised Chinese characters on it.

Mass Attacks in China Spark Concern, Censorship

A recent spate of violence could fuel a cycle of outrage and repression.

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts with his mouth wide open as he takes part in a welcoming ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who stands beside him. Piles of yellow, orange, and red flowers are visible behind the men.
U.S. President Donald Trump reacts with his mouth wide open as he takes part in a welcoming ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who stands beside him. Piles of yellow, orange, and red flowers are visible behind the men.

Where Does China Stand With the Next White House?

A few questions remain about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s China policy.

A woman rides a shared bike by a wall adorned with a red star in an upscale commercial area in Beijing.
A woman rides a shared bike by a wall adorned with a red star in an upscale commercial area in Beijing.

As the U.S. Votes, China Is Watching

So far, Beijing has maintained a carefully neutral position on the presidential election.

Office workers look at their mobile phones as they take a break in Beijing's Central Business District.
Office workers look at their mobile phones as they take a break in Beijing's Central Business District.

Chinese Tech Regulators Back Off

Restrictions have quietly eased since a two-year crackdown that cost Chinese companies $1.1 trillion.

A woman wearing a heavy winter parka with the hood pulled up is seen from behind as she sits on a bench beneath the roof of a gazebo near the Chinese border. The gazebo is surrounded by a low metal fence, past which are snow-covered fields and mountains rising up beyond that against a cloudy sky.
A woman wearing a heavy winter parka with the hood pulled up is seen from behind as she sits on a bench beneath the roof of a gazebo near the Chinese border. The gazebo is surrounded by a low metal fence, past which are snow-covered fields and mountains rising up beyond that against a cloudy sky.

North Korea and Myanmar Cause Headaches in Beijing

Lately, China’s most troublesome neighbors have been its supposed friends.

A pedestrian walks on a street in Beijing at night beneath a dark sky, passing by a short wall covered by advertisements while skyscrapers loom in the background. The ads are covered with photos of various buildings and architectural details.
A pedestrian walks on a street in Beijing at night beneath a dark sky, passing by a short wall covered by advertisements while skyscrapers loom in the background. The ads are covered with photos of various buildings and architectural details.

China Can’t Boost Consumer Confidence

New fiscal stimulus measures won’t be enough without increased household consumption.

The Chinese and U.S. flags are seen during a meeting between U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Guangzhou, China, on April 5.
The Chinese and U.S. flags are seen during a meeting between U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Guangzhou, China, on April 5.

Chinese Hackers Target U.S. Telecoms

The infiltration raises serious national security concerns in Washington.

Ambassador Fu Cong, the permanent representative of China to the United Nations, speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at the U.N. Headquarters in New York on July 31.
Ambassador Fu Cong, the permanent representative of China to the United Nations, speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at the U.N. Headquarters in New York on July 31.

China Says It Backs Iran. Does It?

As conflict escalates in the Middle East, Beijing’s moral support for Tehran isn’t likely to mean much.

Dark clouds hang over the skyline of Changsha, China, on April 29.
Dark clouds hang over the skyline of Changsha, China, on April 29.

Chinese Official’s Suspicious Death Stirs Speculation

Authorities say Hunan finance chief Liu Wenjie was killed, but direct political assassinations are rare in China.

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