
China

The U.S. Wants to Make Sure China Can’t Catch Up on Quantum Computing
Washington is likely to impose new controls in the race for a key technology.

Is TikTok Its Own Worst Enemy?
As the United States moves closer to a ban on the app, its executives and the Chinese government aren’t doing it any favors.

Russia’s War Has Wrecked Beijing’s Hopes of Keeping NATO Away
Ukraine has sparked renewed interest in East Asia tensions.

Taiwan’s Diplomatic Dance
The best lines from Ryan Hass, Zongyuan Zoe Liu, and James Palmer on the latest China-focused FP Live.

Counter Chinese Bullying With an ‘Economic Article 5’
Democracies should act against Chinese economic coercion at their summit this week.

Who’s Winning the AI Race? It’s Not That Simple.
Figuring out who’s ahead is a lot tougher than counting rockets or warheads.

What Does Xi’s Visit to Russia Mean for the World?
China’s embrace of Russia seems politically risky but Beijing is also benefiting economically and emerging as the dominant power.

Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World
It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.

UNESCO Made Ukraine a Priority, but Xinjiang Fell by the Wayside
When some cultures are protected more than others.

What to Make of Xi’s Trip to Moscow
The Chinese leader may have offered more pushback against Washington than substantive support for Russia.

Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?
The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.

If China Arms Russia, the U.S. Should Kill China’s Aircraft Industry
Beijing’s aerospace future is uniquely dependent on Western companies. U.S. and EU trade sanctions could bring its indigenous aviation sector to a halt.

America’s Military Depends on Minerals That China Controls
Rethinking supply chains is vital for U.S. security.

China’s Good Offices
With the Saudi-Iran deal, Beijing shows there’s a place for its less judgmental, see-no-evil diplomatic approach.

China Is Tweaking Its Propaganda for African Audiences
A concerted media campaign has not done much for Beijing’s image.

China Gets a New Premier
Li Qiang is now the second-most powerful person in China. What will he do with it?

Biden and Xi Are Doomed to Escalation
Neither Beijing nor Washington seems capable of cooperation or building trust.

China’s Iran-Saudi Deal May Not Stick
Beijing will have a tough time balancing ties with Riyadh and Tehran.

Lost in Translation
What happens when academic exchanges between the world’s biggest superpowers collapse?

Is This TikTok’s Huawei Moment?
As bans of the video app pile up around the world, the question is how far the U.S.—and its allies—will go.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

‘Money Machine’ Is Missing the Juicy Details of Chinese Banking
Weijian Shan’s new book is notable mostly for what it leaves out.

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.

Is America’s China Policy Too Hawkish?
Jessica Chen Weiss on why she thinks competition with China is consuming U.S. foreign policy—and what the United States needs to do about it.

China Is Pushing Disengagement With the United States Hard
Beijing paints Washington as an implacable and inevitable opponent.

China’s Ukraine Peace Plan Is Actually About Taiwan
Beijing’s phony proposal lays bare its conditions for winning an East Asian war.

How American Journalists Watched China’s COVID-19 Crisis Unfold
The pandemic’s outbreak brought rare reporting freedoms.

What the ChatGPT Moment Means for U.S.-China Tech Competition
The rise of American-made chatbots has kicked off a flurry of Chinese activity.

China’s Censors Are Afraid of What Chatbots Might Say
Artificial intelligence development may get held up for political reasons.

Putin Has Assembled an Axis of Autocrats Against Ukraine
Russia’s war is receiving critical assistance from authoritarian regimes around the world.

Biden Wants to Reboot America’s Cyber Defenses
The United States is taking a more proactive approach to defending its cyberspace—and everyone else’s.

The U.S. Needs to Talk About the Risk of War With China
Washington’s commitment to Taiwan hasn’t been sold to the American public.

China’s Head of Ethnic Affairs Is Keen to End Minority Culture
Pan Yue is doubling down on the party’s hard-line policies.

Why China Is Not a Superpower
How the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union stack up.

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.

China’s Censorship Reaches Globally Through WeChat
The all-in-one app is also a propaganda tool for the Chinese Communist Party.

Western Academics Are Fighting for Disappeared Friends in Xinjiang
Mourning has consumed Xinjiang scholars for a region they can no longer reach.

China’s Farmland Is in Serious Trouble
Local governments are desperate to balance the books with land sales.

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.

China’s Checkbook Diplomacy Has Bounced
China can make friends or break legs. It can’t do both.

China Doesn’t Want a Geoengineering Disaster
Beijing and Washington share an interest in rules for climate experimentation.

The Philippines Is America’s New Star Ally in Asia
Manila’s geopolitical shift is more than the Biden administration could have hoped for.

Ukraine’s Push for Fighter Jets Takes Flight in Munich
But the West is worried that Kyiv might run out of ammo first.

China’s Newest Action TV Show Is a Propaganda Hit
Private partnerships are upping the Communist Party’s entertainment game.

Adam Tooze: How China and India Could Transform the Chocolate Business
A rise in worldwide consumption would test an industry built largely on exploitation.

In a World Awash in Satellites, Why Use Spy Balloons?
And what we know about China’s infamous eye in the sky.

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.

Washington’s China Hawks Take Flight
The story of how decades of U.S. engagement with China gave way to estrangement.

China’s Belt and Road to Nowhere
Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy is a “shadow of its former self.”

Spy Balloons Evoke Bad Cold War Memories for China
Covert U.S. intrusions into Chinese airspace were common for decades.

The U.S. Overreacted to the Chinese Spy Balloon. That Scares Me.
So unused to being challenged, the United States has become so filled with anxiety over China that sober responses are becoming nearly impossible.

Is the U.S. Reaction to China’s Spy Balloon Overdue or Overblown?
Beijing’s botched high-altitude surveillance has provoked a backlash among Biden administration officials and the American public.

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.

China’s Balloon Could Be America’s Awakening
An alarming blunder may convince the U.S. public to take Beijing’s threats seriously.

The United States and China Still Need to Talk About Nuclear Weapons
Biden and Blinken must not let the spy balloon controversy stand in the way of talks on nuclear crisis management and arms control.

Japan’s Long-Awaited Return to Geopolitics
Tokyo’s abandonment of its post-1945 security stance is another fallout from Russia’s war.

Xi Jinping’s Power Grab Is Paying Off
The Chinese leader will probably survive a turbulent time.

How a Chinese Spy Balloon Blew Up a Key U.S. Diplomatic Trip
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a visit to Beijing in response to a suspected spy balloon over U.S. territory.

China’s Tech Money Is Now Radioactive
Washington is increasingly concerned about China poaching U.S. technology.

Beijing Needs to Junk Its Economic Playbook
Government stimulus and greater exports can’t dig China’s economy out of a deep hole.

Biden’s Risky Bet on the Philippines to Counter China
Washington hopes the Bongbong Marcos government will allow it to use runways in the Philippines in the case of an armed conflict with China.

How India’s New Bridge to Kashmir Divided a Region
Kashmiris fear an expensive infrastructure project will mean more military domination and demographic change.

China Doesn’t Want a U.S. Debt Default
Washington takes on financial risks that Beijing can’t afford.

What China Can Learn From Japan—and Alexander the Great
It’s time for Beijing to reexamine its long-standing sense of purpose.

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.

Batteries Are the Battlefield
The next geopolitical contest may be over green technology, and China, for now, is poised to win control of those supply chains.

Mao’s Strategy Inspires Afghan Guerrillas and Chinese Planners
Ideas like “people’s war” infuse official thinking in China.

Can China Pull Off Its Charm Offensive?
Why Beijing’s foreign-policy reset will—or won’t—work out.

China’s Futuristic City Is a Test of Its Planning Power
Xiongan is a window into Xi Jinping’s ambitions.

Adam Tooze: Signs of Economic Rebound in China
COVID-19 infections are surging, but China’s economic growth rate could top 5 percent this year.

Washington Is Missing a Chance to Turn China Against Russia
A rare confluence of crises has created the possibility of Beijing changing course.

China Can No Longer Deny Its Shrinking Population
An official acknowledgement of population decline may herald new measures to encourage families.

‘Strategic Ambiguity’ Has the U.S. and Taiwan Trapped
Washington’s long-held policy has outlived its usefulness.

Modi’s China Policy Is a Failure
The Indian government has tread carefully—and invited trouble.

Decoupling Wastes U.S. Leverage on China
Keeping Chinese firms dependent on Western chips is a better strategy.

What TikTok Has on You
The social media app’s data collection practices are not unlike its competitors’, but its links to China add a sinister layer to the debate.

COVID-Ravaged Chinese Public Is Desperate for Paxlovid
Beijing failed to prepare antiviral supplies before new outbreak.

Why Did China Banish Its Chief ‘Wolf Warrior’?
Zhao Lijian’s move from foreign ministry spokesperson to a backroom role reflects a diplomatic shift.

The Chinese Communist Party Wants the Property Bubble Back
Personal and political fortunes were made in two decades of real estate madness.

China’s COVID-19 Failure Isn’t a Win for Democracy
The pandemic years strained every system of government.

China’s COVID-19 Wave Reaches the Countryside
Opaque data and limited health care infrastructure raise fears of devastating outcomes in rural areas.

Corporations Can’t Ignore Geopolitics Anymore
The global division into competing blocs comes at a high price for multinationals.

The Chinese Public Doesn’t Know Who to Trust Anymore
Amid rampant COVID outbreaks, people are confused and scared.

5 Ways the U.S.-China Cold War Will Be Different From the Last One
Guardrails and statesmanship will be even more important this time around.

5 Predictions for China in 2023
From a COVID-19 tragedy to a weakened Xi Jinping, here’s what could happen next year.

China’s Government Is a Self-Made COVID-19 Victim
The country’s pandemic experience should be remembered as a political, not a public health, catastrophe.

Tick-Tock, TikTok
The Biden administration has dragged its feet on restricting the Chinese-owned app, but pressure is building for far more drastic measures.

How Would a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Play Out?
War-gamers plan for Taiwan’s D-Day.

How Much Time Does Taiwan Have?
Recent negotiations and elections may put off Chinese aggression.

India and China’s Latest Border Clash Is Not a One-Off
The skirmish in Arunachal Pradesh reflects Beijing’s confidence—and New Delhi’s diminished deterrence.

Xi Starts His Third Term With Failure Upon Failure
China’s autocrat has had a surprisingly bad year.

How China Botched the End of Zero-COVID
Other countries have successfully transitioned from strict lockdowns. Beijing has wasted the last three years.

What to Expect From China in 2023
Three experts predict how Beijing will manage China’s economy, the pandemic, protests, Taiwan, and relations with Washington.

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.

Forced Uyghur Labor Probably Helped Build Your Car
A new report ties auto manufacturing to Xinjiang’s genocide. Will consumers—and Western countries—care?

Europe’s Great Catch-Up on China
With the Ukraine war as a wake-up call, Europe is gradually coming to grips with the China threat.

How America’s Hawks Beat China’s Wolf Warriors
In 2022, Washington had the advantage in an increasingly bitter relationship.

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.

Hong Kong Activists Are Taking Note of Chinese Protest Successes
Beijing is still making an example of a rebel city.

China’s Protests Electrify the Global Diaspora
The marches against zero-COVID policies have sparked movements worldwide.

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.

U.S. Rivals Are Facing Unrest. Is It Due to Luck or Skill?
Mass protests create a favorable environment for intelligence agencies—but the CIA should tread carefully in China, Iran, and Russia.

NIMBYism Is a Strategic Threat
Western countries’ reluctance to allow rare-earth mining at home is cementing dependence on China.

Can America Do Anything at All to Encourage Democracy?
As uprisings happen in China and Iran, it’s no accident the United States hasn’t been involved.

China’s Restive Middle Class Will Be Xi’s Greatest Test Yet
Middle-class people, it turns out, have limited patience for things like intrusive social monitoring and censorship of personal expression.

China Wants Your Attention, Please
Beijing’s massive expansion of state media hasn’t quite worked as planned. But watch out for Xinhua’s growing global deals.

What You Need to Know About China’s Protests
From their origins to what comes next.

The Power of China’s Blank Sheets of Paper
2022 is not 1989, but demonstrations may yet develop in unpredictable ways.

China Is Locked Into Xi Jinping’s Aggressive Diplomacy
“Xiplomacy” is a political inevitability.

What Xi’s Zero-COVID Fiasco Might Mean for China and the World
Protests spotlight the regime's misguided approach to the pandemic and lackluster vaccination campaign.

Biden’s Big Africa Summit Carefully Sidesteps China
In a U-turn from the Trump administration, Team Biden wants to court African nations without talking about Beijing.

Why Human Rights Criticism Often Backfires
Shaming countries over human rights abuses is unavoidable. But there are better ways to do it.

China’s Protests Punch a Hole in Xi’s Credibility
A new wave of social unrest may be here.

What Sparked China’s Weekend of Anger?
Experts discuss the roots of China’s protests.

What Jiang Zemin’s Death Means for the CCP
The former leader’s mourning period creates an opportunity for public gathering—and political plotting.

Jiang Zemin Helped China Become a Global Powerhouse
With a steady hand—and some willingness to face criticism—he ushered China into the world economy.

China’s Police Are Catching Up to Protesters
An initially soft approach was probably due to confusion, not policy.

Will China’s Protests Survive?
A nationwide movement of this scale has no post-1989 precedent.

China’s Massive Protests Are the End of a Once-Trusted Governance Model
Local tools of party power have been overwhelmed by zero-COVID.

Xi’s Obsession With Control Produced China’s Protests
This challenge to the Chinese Communist Party and the state has been building for some time.

Beijing’s Power Brokers Wouldn’t Surprise Robert Moses
An American classic offers fresh insights into China.

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.

Chinese Firms Are at the World Cup, but Not Chinese Fans
A soccer-loving nation is isolated from the global sport.

How to Avoid a New Cold War Over Critical Minerals
To prevent a return to the zero-sum logic of Cold War resource politics, critical mineral supply chains must be widened at every step.

How the U.S.-Chinese Technology War Is Changing the World
Washington’s crackdown on technology access is creating a new kind of global conflict.

Will the G-20 Lead to More Engagement With China?
The inside track on the week’s biggest diplomatic gathering.

On a U.S.-China Détente, Don’t Believe the Hype
Smiles and handshakes won’t erase Taiwan tensions.

Did the Xi-Biden Summit Cool Tensions?
Taiwan remains the biggest challenge to the U.S.-China relationship.

Why Japan Should Join AUKUS
Tokyo has become an indispensable security actor in the Indo-Pacific.

Xi-Biden Meeting May Help End China’s Destructive Isolation
Beijing has become dangerously locked off from the world.

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.

How to Stop China Killing Human Rights at the U.N.
The Uyghur people and the human rights system depend on principled states taking action.

China’s Zero-COVID Policies Are Stirring Xenophobia
Anti-foreign language has become part of disease control.

What China’s Past Can Tell Us About Xi’s Future
In Chinese history, long-term emperors and generalissimos have been far more common than rules-bound leaders.

Xi’s First Steps in Power Signaled His Political Turn
Elites were uncertain about the new leader’s growing power.

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.

America’s Risky New China Policy
Washington has a bold plan to restrict Beijing’s semiconductor imports. The world needs to talk about it.

Zero-COVID Is the Least of Xi’s Economic Problems
Markets melted down after China’s 20th Party Congress.

Xi’s China Is Good—and Bad—for the United States
The strategic implications of the 20th Party Congress cut in two different directions.

Biden Short-Circuits China
The latest U.S. moves undermine China’s ability to import, manufacture, and export the semiconductors that run the world.

How Putin and Xi Are Trying to Break Global Human Rights
In their own way, Russia and China are threatening the world’s system for defending human rights.

Who’s Who on the New CCP Standing Committee
The most important leaders in China know how to follow orders.

Europe and America Are Moving Closer on China
Negative views of Beijing are growing—as is limited support for Taiwan.

In China, It’s One Man, One Ideology, One Party
Xi Jinping’s unified vision is taking the country into a dead end.

China Has Entered ‘Maximum Xi’
Three experts offer takeaways from the 20th Party Congress.

Young Chinese Are Despairing of a Zero-COVID Future
Draconian policies leave little economic or political hope.

The Hu Jintao Drama Reveals Beijing’s Fundamental Flaw
Leninist systems, it turns out, are inherently unstable.

Russia’s Ukraine Disaster Exposes China’s Military Weakness
Beijing knows its own military has much in common with Moscow's ineffective force.

What the Heck Just Happened to Hu Jintao?
Xi Jinping’s predecessor was forcibly led away from the Party Congress.

Xi’s Third Term Is a Gift in Disguise
With China’s leader, what you see is what you get. That’s good news for Western policymakers.

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.

Afghan Militants Have China in Their Crosshairs
New Islamic State rhetoric targets Chinese imperialism.

Who Are Xi’s Enemies?
As he consolidates power, China’s leader faces a wide but hapless opposition.

The 1980s Are Buried but Not Dead in China
A new history explores an intense period of hope, reform, and death.

Xi’s Grand Industrial Ambitions Are Likely to Flop
A legacy of mistrust hampers the Chinese leader’s decision-making.

Does China’s Economy Keep Xi Awake at Night?
As the Party Congress gathers, experts discuss the country’s prospects.

Will Xi’s Paranoia Defeat Him?
The Chinese leader has taken security worries to a new level.

The Party Elders Who May Challenge Xi
Succession has always been the Chinese Communists’ Achilles’s heel.

Xi Jinping’s Moment of Economic Reckoning
The Chinese president faces tough choices on how to restore the country’s economic momentum.

China’s Foreign Ministry Reshuffle Could Shift Its Global Approach
Who’s in and who’s out after the Party Congress may affect diplomacy.

What Xi’s First Decade Tells Us About the Next
Bottom line: The world should prepare for a bumpy ride.

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.

Biden Is Now All-In on Taking Out China
The U.S. president has committed to rapid decoupling, whatever the consequences.

China Brief Live Q&A: Your Questions on the 20th Party Congress and China’s Future, Answered
A space for subscribers to submit questions to deputy editor James Palmer.

Washington Raises Stakes in War on Chinese Technology
New U.S. sanctions are in some ways more restrictive than Cold-War era controls.

Russia and China Can’t Get Anyone to Like Them
Beijing and Moscow are failing to produce soft power. But do they really want it?

How Far Will Xi Go to Help a Desperate Putin?
Cracks have emerged in their marriage of convenience, but the two autocrats are in it for the long haul.

8 Books to Read Ahead of China’s 20th Party Congress
These picks each offer piercing insight into how Chinese politics really works.

What Accounts for the Economic Gap Between China and India?
The world’s two most populous countries had similar starting points, but China has outpaced India across the board.

The Russian Warship and the South China Sea
What lessons does the sinking of the Moskva have for Taiwan?

What a False Coup Rumor Reveals About Chinese Politics
A baseless story briefly went viral, showing how much of the world misunderstands Beijing’s inner workings.

China’s War on History Is Growing
The government is inviting snitches to report on “historical nihilism.”

Bus Crash Amplifies Zero-COVID Frustration
Discontent with the restrictive policy seems to serve as a proxy for discontent with Xi Jinping’s government itself.

China Is Quietly Trying to Dethrone the Dollar
Regional groups and small banks are helping insulate Beijing against sanctions.

Who’s Winning the U.S.-China Trade War? No One
With no end in sight, nationalism is trumping economic wisdom as global recession looms.

Why Xi Jinping Chose Central Asia for His First Post-COVID-19 Trip
The region has long served as a testing ground for Beijing’s economic and foreign-policy ambitions and is becoming increasingly close to China.

Putin Panders to China
The Russian leader revealed that Xi has concerns over the war in Ukraine.

Homebody Xi Finally Steps Outside China
The Chinese leader’s first overseas trip since January 2020 takes him to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where he’ll meet his Russian counterpart.

Taiwan’s New Status Quo
A top lawmaker says China’s game plan is to blockade the island and stop allies from helping out.

China’s COVID-19 Stagnation Has No End in Sight
The endless cycle of lockdowns will likely lead to long-lasting political and economic consequences.

How Beijing Benefits From a New Iran Deal
The nuclear agreement could unleash Chinese activity in the Gulf and complicate U.S. goals in the Indo-Pacific.

The Chinese Public Doesn’t Know What the Rules Are Anymore
Reckless policies have knocked out established norms.

What Do Electric Cars Really Cost?
“Volt Rush” examines the price of a dirty green business—and China’s role.

How to Teach Beijing a Lesson in Ukraine
What China learns from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will inform its decision-making on Taiwan.

Biden-Xi Meeting Unlikely to Halt U.S.-Chinese Slide
Compromise is becoming increasingly difficult—especially over Taiwan.

Extreme Weather Is Brutalizing Asia
Floods, droughts, tropical storms, and heat waves are severely testing the resilience of a region with a lot of vulnerable people.

We’re Still Asking the Wrong Questions About War With China Over Taiwan
The priority is not who would win a war over Taiwan, but how to prevent one in the first place.

Beijing’s Diplomacy Suffers in Europe
Estonia and Latvia are the latest countries to back out of a forum with China, undermining its efforts on the continent.

What Does China Want?
Beijing’s ambitions are about to crash into its problems.

Why Doesn’t China Invade Taiwan?
Despite Beijing’s rhetoric, a full-scale invasion remains a risky endeavor—and officials think the island can be coerced into reunification.

Chinese Police Could Crush Solomon Islands Opposition
Government critics fear security pact consequences.

Beijing’s Taiwan Aggression Has Backfired in Tokyo
Military exercises have stiffened Japanese resolve.

China’s Military Exercises Aren’t a Crisis—Yet
Analysts have been keen to make comparisons to tensions in 1996.

Xi’s Great Leap Backward
Beijing is running out of recipes for its looming jobs crisis—and reviving Mao-era policies.

China Responds to Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip
Many on social media expressed anger that the government hadn’t followed through on its fiery rhetoric.

Companies Are Fleeing China for Friendlier Shores
“Friendshoring” is the new trend as geopolitics bites.

China Is Doomed to Play a Significant Role in Afghanistan
Beijing is desperate to avoid being trapped in Kabul’s politics.

China Illustrations Need More Than Dragons, Pandas, and Propaganda
Editorial imagery often recycles stereotypes and ignores Chinese life.

What Does the Pelosi Taiwan Uproar Mean for U.S. China Policy?
The controversy over Nancy Pelosi’s proposed trip highlights the contradictions of U.S. policy toward the island.