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A man rides by a building under construction by major property developer Country Garden in Beijing.
A man rides by a building under construction by major property developer Country Garden in Beijing.

Global Mood Sours on China’s Economy

Investors and the Chinese public alike are losing faith in Beijing’s ability to stave off a serious downturn.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Biden Isn’t Driving Investors Out of China

New restrictions on U.S. investments in high-tech sectors follow a trend of foreign firms fading out.

A group of rescue workers wearing life vests and helmets carry a bright orange, inflatable raft through a street filled with knee-high water. Behind them, several civilians in wet clothes walk through the water, including one who is leaning down to pull out a submerged object.
A group of rescue workers wearing life vests and helmets carry a bright orange, inflatable raft through a street filled with knee-high water. Behind them, several civilians in wet clothes walk through the water, including one who is leaning down to pull out a submerged object.

Record Flooding Highlights Rural-Urban Divide in China

The decision to protect Beijing by diverting water prompts widespread anger in Hebei province.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders pose with military officers who were promoted to the rank of general in Beijing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders pose with military officers who were promoted to the rank of general in Beijing.

China Replaces Top Rocket Force Commanders

The apparent purge comes amid a renewed crackdown on corruption in the military.

Antony Blinken and Qin Gang, both middle-aged men wearing dark suits and ties, walk along a red carpet in a hallway. Standing around them are members of the press, holding cameras and cell phones as they take photos of the officials.
Antony Blinken and Qin Gang, both middle-aged men wearing dark suits and ties, walk along a red carpet in a hallway. Standing around them are members of the press, holding cameras and cell phones as they take photos of the officials.

China Ousts Missing Foreign Minister

Beijing officially replaced Qin Gang this week, but it’s not likely to shake the system.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang addresses the media during a press conference in Berlin. The Chinese flag can be seen behind a lens flare.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang addresses the media during a press conference in Berlin. The Chinese flag can be seen behind a lens flare.

Where Is China’s Foreign Minister?

Speculation about Qin Gang only reflects the Chinese Communist Party’s obsession with internal secrecy.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng gestures to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during a meeting in Beijing.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng gestures to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during a meeting in Beijing.

Washington Can’t Sell Beijing on Climate Diplomacy

China is by far the world’s biggest polluter. But when it comes to action, its government is in a bind.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow.

What Does the Wagner Revolt Mean for China?

Potential instability in Moscow is inconvenient for Putin’s partners in Beijing.

People wait to cross a street in Beijing on June 20.
People wait to cross a street in Beijing on June 20.

Why China’s Economy Hasn’t Bounced Back

COVID-19 has left many Chinese risk-averse when it comes to their finances.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay delivers a speech to announce the U.S. request to return to the institution at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay delivers a speech to announce the U.S. request to return to the institution at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Is UNESCO the Next Arena for U.S.-China Tensions?

Washington plans to rejoin, but the nature of the organization may play to Beijing’s strengths.

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.

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