Chinese President Xi Jinping drinks a cup of tea during the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 7.
Chinese President Xi Jinping drinks a cup of tea during the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 7.

Why China Has Sharpened Its Anti-American Rhetoric

Washington has become a convenient scapegoat for Beijing. That says more about Chinese President Xi Jinping than it does about their relationship.

A woman walks past a billboard showing Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Feb. 28.
A woman walks past a billboard showing Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Feb. 28.

How the Chinese Communist Party Plans to Reinforce Its Power

A recent leadership meeting hinted at what Xi Jinping’s “intensified” overhaul might look like.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese State Counselor Wang Yi in Moscow on Feb. 22.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese State Counselor Wang Yi in Moscow on Feb. 22.

Is China Stepping Up Its Support for Russia?

Beijing has reinforced its anti-U.S. messaging this week, but lethal aid for Moscow still seems to be a red line.

Special agents process material from the high-altitude balloon recovered off the coast of South Carolina.
Special agents process material from the high-altitude balloon recovered off the coast of South Carolina.

Can the U.S. and China Leave the Spy Balloon Behind?

After a week of shooting down suspicious objects, the White House seems to take a step back.

A jet flies by the Chinese spy balloon as it floats off the coast of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, on Feb. 4.
A jet flies by the Chinese spy balloon as it floats off the coast of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, on Feb. 4.

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.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a press conference during a meeting with NATO ministers of foreign affairs in Bucharest, Romania, on Nov. 30, 2022.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a press conference during a meeting with NATO ministers of foreign affairs in Bucharest, Romania, on Nov. 30, 2022.

In Beijing, Blinken Seeks to Stabilize Ties

Avoiding actual war will be on each side’s mind.

People walk down a street during the Lunar New Year holiday in Beijing on Jan. 25.
People walk down a street during the Lunar New Year holiday in Beijing on Jan. 25.

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.

People walk along a street in Hangzhou, China, on Jan. 17.
People walk along a street in Hangzhou, China, on Jan. 17.

China Can No Longer Deny Its Shrinking Population

An official acknowledgement of population decline may herald new measures to encourage families.

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.

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