Peter Mattis
Peter Mattis was a fellow in the China Program at The Jamestown Foundation, where he served as editor of the foundation’s China Brief from 2011 to 2013. He previously worked in the U.S. Government and the National Bureau of Asian Research. Mr. Mattis received his M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University and earned B.A.s in Political Science and Asian Studies from the University of Washington in Seattle. He also studied Chinese language, history, and security policy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He is the author of Analyzing the Chinese Military: A Review Essay and Resource Guide on the People’s Liberation Army (2015). He is currently a research fellow in China Studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.
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Articles by Peter Mattis
VOA China Covers CCP Espionage Book by Jamestown Non-Resident Fellow Matthew Brazil and Former China Brief Editor Peter Mattis
Jamestown Non-Resident Fellow Matthew Brazil and Deputy Staff Director of the Congress-Executive Commission on China Peter Mattis' new book on Chinese intelligence, Chinese Communist Espionage: An Intelligence Primer, was prominently covered in
Peter Mattis Quoted in FT and Newsroom Joint Investigation
Jamestown Fellow and former Editor of China Brief Peter Mattis was quoted by the Financial Times and New Zealand-based Newsroom as part of their investigation into the background of a
Army Day Themes Laud Party Leadership, Highlights Discord
On August 1st, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) celebrated the 89th anniversary of its founding. Units from the CMC to defense attaché officers overseas host receptions honoring the PLA’s historical
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis with Samantha Hoffman publish in War on the Rocks
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis and Samantha Hoffman have written an article on China's State Security Commission for War on the Rocks, entitled "Managing the Power Within: China's State Security Commission"
New Law Reshapes Chinese Counterterrorism Policy and Operations
On December 27, the National People’s Congress approved China’s new Counterterrorism Law, establishing a legal basis for counterterrorism operations and the authorities delegated to the security services for that mission
Peter Mattis Cited by UPI on Chinese Military Espionage
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis' recent article in China Brief was cited by UPI on March 25 for an article on China's recent arrest of a taxi driver for spying for another
Cracking Down on Foreign Espionage Channels
On February 4, the Central Military Commission (CMC) issued a new revision of the Military Grassroots Construction Guidelines (jundui jiceng jianshe gangyao) for People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel. The guidelines
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis Writes in The National Interest on China’s Purge of Intel Official
On January 20, Jamestown Fellow and former China Brief editor Peter Mattis wrote an article in The National Interest on recent purges in China's intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis Quoted by Wall Street Journal
On January 16, Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis was quoted by the Wall Street Journal about the purge of a senior Chinese intelligence official.
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis Writes for The National Interest
Jamestown Fellow and previous editor of China Brief Peter Mattis wrote an article in The National Interest on January 6 covering China's civil-military relations: "China's Military Is NOT Going Rogue."
China’s Espionage Against Taiwan (Part II): Chinese Intelligence Collectors
Chinese intelligence operations have long been understood in the West as somehow different than more familiar forms of espionage: inscrutable, undirected and largely run by amateurs. Like most modern states,
China’s Espionage Against Taiwan (Part I): Analysis of Recent Operations
The last few weeks put Chinese espionage against Taiwan back into the headlines with a series of arrests and sentencing pronouncements. In the first week of October, a Taiwanese court
Army Day Coverage Stresses Continuity of Reform
On August 1, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) celebrated Army Day, the anniversary of its founding during the Nanchang Uprising in 1927. Commentaries in official media often use the
Peter Mattis Quoted in Australia’s The Sunday Paper
Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis was quoted by The Sunday Paper, in an article on China's increasing assertiveness in Asia.
Virtual Espionage Challenges Chinese Counterintelligence
Official media publicly credited Guangdong elements of the Ministry of State Security (MSS) with breaking open an espionage case last week in which the chief suspect received a ten-year prison
ABC (Australia) Interviews Jamestown Fellow Peter Mattis on Chinese Intelligence
Peter Mattis discussed Chinese intelligence operations in Australia with ABC Australia's radio news program Late Night Live.
Andrew Chubb’s presentation at China Conference 2014 written up in The National Interest
Andrew Chubb's presentation at The Jamestown Foundation's recent Fourth Annual China Defense and Security Conference was covered in an article in The National Interest, "China Not Full of Raging Nationalists," written by
China’s East China Sea ADIZ: Framing Japan to Help Washington Understand
On November 23, Beijing announced that a new Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) would go into effect over the East China Sea, overlapping existing Japanese and South Korean ADIZ, requiring
What to Ask at the Third Plenum: Is Xi’s Party Building Sufficient for Reform?
On July 30, Xi Jinping oversaw a meeting of the Politburo to discuss economic reform, ahead of the widely-anticipated discussions at Beidaihe leading up to the release of a new
Pushing the “New Type of International Relations” in Latin America
On July 24, Beijing hosted Jose Ramon Balaguer, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of Cuba—the latest in a series of bilateral meetings with Latin American countries
Appraising Xi Jinping’s Politicking
At least since the politicking for China’s leadership succession heated up last summer, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping consistently has shaped the political environment in his favor,
China Brief Editor Peter Mattis cited by Financial Network (Beijing)
China Brief Editor Peter Mattis was cited in an article by Financial Network (Beijing).
Chinese Dreams: An Ideological Bulwark, Not a Framework for Sino-American Relations
When U.S. President Barack Obama meets Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in their current capacities on June 7–8, Washington will run squarely into Beijing’s recent efforts to
Exploring the International Aspects of China’s Ideological Crackdown
The first aphorism of politics is that “all politics is local,” and one of the first rules of China watching is to look for domestic factors. The party’s domestic focus
China’s Response to Pentagon Report “Baseless, Counterproductive”
The congressionally-mandated Annual Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China has riled Beijing since its inception. Chinese leaders have resented being singled out, calling the
Peter Mattis cited by Niti Central
An article by China Brief Editor Peter Mattis, Out with the New, In with the old: Interpreting China's 'New Type of International Relations,' was cited by Niti Central in China's dream is
Out with the New, In with the Old: Interpreting China’s ‘New Type of International Relations’
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to the United States last year in February, he urged Beijing and Washington to “set a good example of constructive and cooperative state-to-state relations
Informatization Drives Expanded Scope of Public Security
In a recent interview with the Ministry of Public Security’s (MPS) principle newspaper, a municipal police chief stated more than half of the solved cases were resolved because of the
South Sea Fleet Exercises Shine Spotlight on Tensions
Tensions in the South China Sea once again appear to be on the rise as recent Chinese naval activity has attracted the attention of regional actors. On March 26, Hanoi
PLA Deputies Offer Clarifications of Military Intentions
The annual National People’s Congress (NPC) meeting often can sound like a tedious recitation of familiar phraseology on Chinese priorities and, certainly, the words on modernizing the People’s Liberation Army
Rigorous Training Schedule Highlights PLA’s Focus on People
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) plans to conduct 40 military exercises this year in order to improve its readiness as well as its ability to fight and win wars, according
Can Xi Jinping Grow Political Power Out of the Barrel of a Gun?
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership transition from President Hu Jintao to Vice President Xi Jinping has proceeded at a breakneck pace and, arguably, not since Deng Xiaoping have the
New Police Chief Shows Reliability But Not Power
Following the Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu’s ascent to chair the Central Political-Legal Affairs Committee and the Politburo of the 18th Central Committee, a little-known provincial party secretary, Guo
Spiraling Surprises in Sino-Japanese Tensions
Ever since the Japanese government bought several of the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands from a private owner, Sino-Japanese relations have been in a downward spiral. Japan’s change of government following the mid-December
China Brief Editor Peter Mattis cited by Marketplace
China Brief Editor Peter Mattis was cited in an article published by Marketplace entitled: "Is China's Huawei a threat to our national security?"
Soothing Tones on China’s Rise Strike Dissonance
The newly-appointed Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping’s talk of China’s national rejuvenation has generated a lot of concern in foreign analyses about the implications of the just-completed
Year-End Questions on Political-Legal Reform
At the conclusion of the 18th Party Congress on November 15, the announcement of China’s new leadership offered few glimpses of the possibility of reform in the next five years.
The Unrepentant China Model
Reform has dominated discussions of China this year as the country approached a major leadership transition. At the National People’s Congress in March, optimism blinded many analysts from recognizing the
PLA Personnel Shifts Highlight Intelligence’s Growing Military Role
The latest round of top-level People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel selections reinforces an emerging trend in how the Chinese military manages intelligence. First, ever since the departure of General Xiong
China Brief Editor Peter Mattis Published by Asia Times
An article titled "China's Need to Find a Voice" by Jamestown's China Brief Editor Peter Mattis was published by Asia Times on October 23, 2012.
China’s International Right to Speak
As Beijing’s reach continues to expand, Chinese analysts are increasingly troubled by the country’s weak ability to influence how international issues, especially the rise of China, are framed and evaluated—called
Zhou Yongkang’s Trip Highlights Security Diplomacy
For a man once mistakenly thought to be on the sidelines, Zhou Yongkang had a busy September leading a security delegation to Singapore, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan (“Zhou Yongkang and the
Resolving Contradictions in Social Management
Social management issues and reform have been linked clearly to fulfilling the vision of improving people’s livelihood and Hu Jintao’s “harmonious society.” With the future of social management and political
Angola Operation Shows China Testing Overseas Security Role; Cambodian Visit to China Rubs Salt in ASEAN Wounds
ANGOLA Operation Shows China Testing Overseas Security Role On August 25, officials from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) escorted 37 suspects back to China for violent crimes—including human
Hu Jintao’s Doubtful Future on the Central Military Commission
With the Beidaihe retreat coming to a close this week and Chinese leaders reemerging from behind closed doors, China’s leaders are in the home stretch for deciding the outcomes of
Looking Ahead at Politburo Possibilities
As the 18th Party Congress approaches and Chinese leaders enter their final rounds of horse trading, recent personnel changes suggest the future of Chinese politics is starting to take shape
Shoring Up PLA “Military Cultural Security” to Ensure Stability
As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) careens toward the 18th Party Congress and a generational leadership transition, Beijing seems concerned with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and where it stands
Central Party School’s Critiques Suggest New Leadership Dynamics
Political reform in China since Deng Xiaoping’s “Southern Tour” in 1992 has seemed a distant if always tempting narrative for analysts and observers. The cycles of foreign hope and disappointment
Taiwan’s Intelligence Chief Offers New Insights on Chinese Security Developments
Every spring, the director-general of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) goes before the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee to discuss national security-related developments. Befitting Taiwan’s focus on cross-Strait
State Council Highlights China’s Information Security Challenges
On May 9, Premier Wen Jiabao opened an executive meeting of the State Council on promoting China’s development of information technology and information security. The meeting promulgated a new opinion
The Limits of Reform: Assaulting the Castle of the Status Quo
A series of editorials this week in leading official newspapers suggested pressure for reform within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to build. One of the unsigned commentaries—like Premier Wen
China Fêtes Turkish Leader as Beijing Recognizes Ankara’s Growing Role
On April 11, Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Beijing during the latter’s lavish if brief state visit. Both sides naturally promised cooperation
Zhou Yongkang and the Tarnished Reputation of China’s Police
The fallout over Politburo member Bo Xilai’s removal as Chongqing Party Secretary on March 15 only increased the wave of rumor and speculation sweeping across China after Bo’s right-hand man,
Beijing Denies Russian Rumors of Su-35 Purchase; Evaluating China’s Intelligence Penetration of Taiwan
BEIJING DENIES RUSSIAN RUMORS OF SU-35 FIGHTER PURCHASE Last week, Russian media reported Moscow was close to finalizing a $4 billion deal for 48 Su-35s with Beijing. The reported sticking
Another Lei Feng Revival: Making Maoism Safe for China
Chinese political culture contains a lot of dangerous ideas for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This may go a long ways toward explaining Beijing’s fickle relationship with Confucius as a
Security Chief’s Efforts to Seal Up the Political-Legal Chairmanship
The run-up to this year’s leadership succession has brought more excitement than observers could reasonably expect when the top two presumptive leaders, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, seemed set after
Kidnappings Highlight Weakness in Chinese Security Posture Abroad
In the space of 24 hours starting January 31, disgruntled Egyptians in the Sinai Peninsula kidnapped and then released 25 Chinese factory workers in an effort to get Cairo to
Editor’s Note: Executive Summary for “China in 2012”
This set of essays takes China Brief away from current events, looking ahead at some of the key questions facing analysts in the coming year. The authors—Dennis Blasko, Bruce Gilley,
New Departments and Research Centers Highlight Military’s Concerns for the Future
When on November 22, 2011 the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) created the new Strategic Planning Department—consolidating and upgrading some lower-level planning functions—few could have anticipated the plethora of bureaucratic
Wukan Uprising Highlights Dilemmas of Preserving Stability
Since September, the residents of the Guangdong village Wukan have clashed with authorities over local government land seizures. Last week, however, Xue Jinbo, a village representative trying to negotiate with
Chinese Military Creates Strategic Planning Department
On November 22, Chinese President Hu Jintao and the Central Military Commission (CMC) issued a directive creating a “Strategic Planning Department” (zhanlüe guihua bu). The new department will fall under
Mekong Murders Spur Beijing to Push New Security Cooperation
On November 1, Chinese security officials and their counterparts from Burma, Laos and Thailand announced a new security initiative to make the Mekong River safe for commerce as it passes
Plenum Document Highlights Broad Role for Social Management; Rising Leaders Meet in Pyongyang
Plenum Document Highlights Broad Role for Social ManagementFrom October 15 to 18, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) convened the 6th Plenum of the 17th Central Committee to address China's evolving
China’s European Satellite Launch Sets New Milestones; South Africa-China Deals Court Controversy; Putin Visits Beijing; New Sino-Kazakh Pipeline Deal Signed
China’s European Satellite Launch Sets New Milestones On October 7, a Chinese Long March-3 rocket blasted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, delivering a French Eutelsat communications satellite
Public Security Officially Joins the Blogosphere
On September 27, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced the national launch of "police microblogging construction" (gong’an weibo jianshe) as the newest element in its social management toolkit and
Shelving Differences While Hedging in the South China Sea
With the summer winding down along with the tensions in the South China Sea, China engaged the principle disputants of this round of regional tensions. China hosted Philippine President Benigno
General’s Spy Comments Reveal More Than Just Espionage
Remarks made by Major General Jin Yi’nan of China’s National Defense University at a conference earlier this year provide new insights into Beijing’s reaction to foreign espionage, which Jin believes
Civil-Military Integration Theme Marks PLA Day Coverage
The theme for this year’s annual People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Day press was civil-military integration (军民融合) for national defense. If Defense Minister Liang Guanglie’s article “Persevere in Civil-Military Integration with
China Reacts to Admiral Mullen Visit; Growth Imperative Challenges Even Chinese Security Regulations
China Reacts to Admiral Mullen Visit Beijing heralded US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, visit to China as an important step forward, signifying the normalization
Taiwan Espionage Cases Highlight Changes in Chinese Intelligence Operations
On June 13th, Taiwanese authorities detained businessman Lai Kun-chieh on charges that he spied for Beijing, attempting to steal military secrets for a still unidentified Chinese intelligence agency (Lianhe Xinwen,
China’s Adaptive Approach to the Information Counter-Revolution
The Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on May 12th announced a series of new measures that would enable the government to better track the migrant population, including stepping up
Assessing the Foreign Policy Influence of the Ministry of State Security
At the Chuzhou City national security leading group meeting last December, local officials appeared to overshadow municipal Ministry of State Security (MSS) officers despite the subject of the meeting—an Anhui
Shriver Case Highlights Traditional Chinese Espionage
Underneath the fanfare that greeted the FBI’s arrest of ten Russian intelligence officers in June, federal authorities quietly proceeded against a young Michigan man, Glenn Duffie Shriver, applying to the
The Strategic Vulnerability of China’s Reliance on Coal
China’s dramatic economic boom has focused attention on the strategic aspects of the country’s efforts to secure reliable energy supplies and satisfy its growing demand for oil and natural gas.