China

List of China articles

A Confucius Institute float during the parade for the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2011 in the streets of Indianapolis, Indiana.
A Confucius Institute float during the parade for the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2011 in the streets of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Cultural Decoupling From China Is Not the Answer

Beijing’s censorship has pernicious effects on artists and educational institutions—but abandoning all cultural ties would do more harm than good.

A group of police officers, wearing short-sleeved uniform shirts and matching hats, chat with each other as they stand on a sidewalk outside Hong Kong's High Court. Skyscrapers and a cloudy sky are visible behind the officers.
A group of police officers, wearing short-sleeved uniform shirts and matching hats, chat with each other as they stand on a sidewalk outside Hong Kong's High Court. Skyscrapers and a cloudy sky are visible behind the officers.

Hong Kong’s Bureaucrats Don’t Make Good Authoritarians

Local officials are inflexible about implementing Beijing’s orders.

Dozens of people have dinner at a rooftop restaurant at night with the water and lit-up high rises of the Shanghai skyline behind them.
Dozens of people have dinner at a rooftop restaurant at night with the water and lit-up high rises of the Shanghai skyline behind them.
A photo collage illustration showing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau frowning, images of Canadians voting at polling centers, and Canadian and Chinese flags
A photo collage illustration showing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau frowning, images of Canadians voting at polling centers, and Canadian and Chinese flags

Why Did Trudeau Dawdle on Chinese Election Meddling?

A new inquiry may expose Beijing’s reach in Ottawa.

The headquarters of the CIA is seen from above in Langley, Virginia, on Nov. 7, 2018.
The headquarters of the CIA is seen from above in Langley, Virginia, on Nov. 7, 2018.

Chinese Spies Are Targeting Access, Not Race

Implying China mostly uses ethnically Chinese assets is both wrong and dangerous.

A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.
A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.

No, the World Is Not Multipolar

The idea of emerging power centers is popular but wrong—and could lead to serious policy mistakes.

A worker stands atop a solar panel during construction on the roof of a new development in Wuhan. Buildings can be seen in the background.
A worker stands atop a solar panel during construction on the roof of a new development in Wuhan. Buildings can be seen in the background.

Can the U.S. and China Cooperate on Green Technology Again?

A recent book makes the case for collaboration in an increasingly competitive industry.

Argentine President Alberto Fernández (right) and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva prepare for photos as part of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States summit hosted in Buenos Aires on Jan. 24.
Argentine President Alberto Fernández (right) and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva prepare for photos as part of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States summit hosted in Buenos Aires on Jan. 24.

BRICS Invitation Puts Argentina in a Tough Spot

Ahead of a presidential election, debate in Buenos Aires reveals the mounting challenges of multi-alignment.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a dark suit, walks past a display of flags hanging in front of a lush green wall of plants.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a dark suit, walks past a display of flags hanging in front of a lush green wall of plants.

Does the BRI Increase China’s Influence?

Beijing’s extensive infrastructure projects don’t seem to be translating into political clout.

A Chinese container ship is unloaded in the port of Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2022.
A Chinese container ship is unloaded in the port of Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2022.

How China Uses Shipping for Surveillance and Control

Beijing’s global maritime operations double as intelligence-gathering outposts.

A man balancing a wooden crate of fish on his head walks through the crowd at an outdoor fish market at night. The masts of boats are visible from the harbor behind the market.
A man balancing a wooden crate of fish on his head walks through the crowd at an outdoor fish market at night. The masts of boats are visible from the harbor behind the market.

The Other Global Food Crisis

World leaders need to care about fish as much as they do about semiconductors.

Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army march on Red Square during a military parade in Moscow on June 24, 2020.
Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army march on Red Square during a military parade in Moscow on June 24, 2020.

China’s Defense Budget Is Much Bigger Than It Looks

The actual number could be more than double the current Western estimate.

BMW i3 electric cars are seen on the assembly line at a BMW plant
BMW i3 electric cars are seen on the assembly line at a BMW plant

Why Europe Will Struggle to ‘De-Risk’ From China

The Europeans have far more to lose than the United States from curbing ties.

The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.
The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.
Customers try out smartphones at a Huawei flagship store in Shanghai on Sept. 3.
Customers try out smartphones at a Huawei flagship store in Shanghai on Sept. 3.

China’s Tech Industry Shows It Still Means Business

Recent strides in chipmaking and artificial intelligence show Beijing’s post-export control world taking shape. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, seen in a suit and tie and in profile, walks outside the venue at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Behind him is a sculptural tree in a larger planter that appears to be leaning away from him.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, seen in a suit and tie and in profile, walks outside the venue at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Behind him is a sculptural tree in a larger planter that appears to be leaning away from him.

The Endless Frustration of Chinese Diplomacy

Beijing’s representatives are always scared they could be the next to vanish.

A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.
A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.

America Prepares for a Pacific War With China It Doesn’t Want

Embedded with U.S. forces in the Pacific, I saw the dilemmas of deterrence firsthand.

A man pushes a trolley past a partially collapsed building in Marrakech, Morocco.
A man pushes a trolley past a partially collapsed building in Marrakech, Morocco.

What in the World?

Test yourself on the week of Sept. 9: An earthquake devastates Morocco, Kim Jong Un leaves Pyongyang for a key summit, and a French official is arrested abroad.

A clerk wearing dark glasses, a white shirt, and dark tie counts stacks of Chinese yuan and U.S. dollars at a bank in Shanghai.
A clerk wearing dark glasses, a white shirt, and dark tie counts stacks of Chinese yuan and U.S. dollars at a bank in Shanghai.

How China Can Hurt the U.S. Economy

Adam Tooze answers listener questions on China.

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