Executive Summary: Beijing views brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) as “key and core” technologies, leading to substantial state investment for both civilian and military purposes. Qiyuan Lab, an artificial intelligence (AI) laboratory in Beijing led by a People’s Liberation Army Major General and machine learning expert, has... MORE

Executive Summary: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) frames historical nihilism an existential threat, as it could lead to ideological alienation, public distrust, and ultimately, institutional collapse resembling the experience of the Soviet Union. Since 2022, the CCP has shifted its focus to cultural nihilism, perceived... MORE

Executive Summary: Beijing has moved to codify its development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in domestic and international settings, including at the Two Sessions and the United Nations. At least 72 local governments across the People’s Republic of China have already deployed homegrown AI... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) frames people-to-people exchange programs as benign cultural and educational efforts, but in reality, they serve to advance the Chinese Communist Party’s agendas—such as the “community of common destiny for mankind”—and bolster the PRC’s geopolitical aims. While the... MORE

Executive Summary: Chinese military experts are incorporating lessons from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the use and importance of drones and autonomous systems, which is reshaping the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) strategic planning and operational doctrine. In simulated Taiwan Strait scenarios, the PLA has... MORE

Executive Summary: Two waves of recent purges in the People’s Liberation Army have focused on Xi Jinping’s two major bases of support, the Shaanxi Gang and the Fujian Clique, likely eroding his power over the military. A series of articles in the PLA Daily in... MORE

Executive Summary: Creative legal strategies have been deployed in recent years to support a justification for a blockade around Taiwan. International law contains the concept of a “long-distance blockade” and the “continuous voyage doctrine” that could both be invoked to restrict access to Taiwan by... MORE

Executive Summary: Fujian Province’s new “Measures for Guaranteeing Militia Rights and Interests” aim to incentivize maximum readiness for forces who likely will be key in any campaign against Taiwan. The measures provide financial support and other perks in an attempt to motivate troops and promote... MORE

Executive Summary: Corruption within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has stymied efforts to deepen coordination in the military-industrial sector and related military equipment departments. The substance of Xi Jinping’s speech to military delegates at the Two Sessions was similar to his 2019 speech, focusing on... MORE

Executive Summary: The annual “Two Sessions” meetings in Beijing are increasingly insignificant affairs, as the lack of genuine policy announcements and restrictions on delegates reduces the space for consultation and deliberation. The government unveiled a new RMB 1 trillion national innovation investment guidance fund, but... MORE